As of March 5, 2025, sugar mills owe a total of Rs 15,504 crore to sugarcane farmers for the season 2024-25, which began in October 2024, according to official data.
Check state-wise total outstanding sugarcane dues of sugarcane farmers by sugar mills during the last 3 sugar seasons and current sugar season:
In a written response to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, stated that “Payment of cane dues to farmers is a continuous process and cane payment by the sugar mills to the farmers are being made on regular basis resulting in reduction of cane dues.”
To assist in the payment process, the government has implemented several measures, such as setting the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane and permitting the diversion of excess sugar for ethanol production.
To help prevent a decline in ex-mill sugar prices and avoid the accumulation of cane price arrears, the government has allowed the export of 10 lakh tonnes of sugar for the 2024-25 marketing year (October-September).
Additionally, the government has set the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar at Rs 31 per kg.
Thanks to these initiatives, significant progress has been made in clearing cane arrears. By the end of the 2023-24 sugar season, over 99.9% of cane dues were settled, and as of March 5, 2025, more than 80% of the cane dues for the current 2024-25 season have been paid.
