Aurangabad: The sugar sector in Maharashtra is severely affected due to the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. Most of the sugar mills in the state are backbone of the rural economy. The State-level and national-level organisations associated with sugar sector have written to the state government as well as centre to provide financial assistance to the ailing sugar sector.
As per news report published in Times of India, Jaiprakash Dandegaonkar, chairman of Maharashtra Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories said, “The pandemic broke out right when sugar cane cutting, transporting, crushing and sugar-making operations were at their peak. The lockdown brought all the operations to a standstill.
Ketanbhai C Patel, the vice-president of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd, has also written a letter to PM Modi, where he sought government help for the sugar industry.
The lockdown imposed by the government to prevent the spread of Coronavirus pandemic has affected sugar sales. Mills are unable to sell the sugar amid lockdown, due to which sugar stocks are piling up in warehouses. And also they are unable to clear cane dues to financial scarcity.
