Pune: Around one month left for the commencement of the new crushing season 2019-2020, but 56 sugar mills in Maharashtra are yet to pay Rs 397.96 crore dues to the cane growers.
A total of 195 sugar mills participated in the operation this season. According to the Sugar Commissionerate report, the factories have crushed 951.79 lakh tonnes of sugarcane to produce 107.19 lakh tonnes of sugar at a recovery rate 11.26 per cent. The mills are yet to pay 1.71 per cent of FRP to farmers out of total Rs 23,293.82 crore. So far mill paid 98.38 per cent, that is Rs 22,915.62.
According to the reports, 139 mills paid 100 per cent FRP, whereas 45 mills cleared 80-99 per cent FRP. 8 mills paid 60-79 per cent FRP and 3 mills made payments below 59 per cent.
Sugarcane farmers are worried as next season is round the corner, but yet they have not received the dues. Cane growers claim that their financial condition is deteriorating day-by-day and are unable to feed their families, nor able to pay school fees of their children as they are suffering from financial scarcity.
Sugar mills in the state may face difficulty in getting a crushing license. To ensure the early payment for sugarcane farmers, the Maharashtra government has decided that sugar mills would be issued crushing licences only if they agree to pay FRP to cane growers within 14 days.
To Listen to this News click on the button below the image.
