Cane glut: Maharashtra mills opt for mechanical harvesting

Excess sugarcane availability and lack of skilled labour have prompted cooperative sugar factories in Maharashtra to opt for mechanical harvesting. Expected cane production for the 2010-11 crushing season is 72.5 million tonnes — an increase of 18.85 per cent from 61 million tonnes in 2009-10.

Out of the 170-plus cooperatives, six mills have already placed orders for 84 machines from the US, Holland and China. Maharashtra is expected to produce 7.1 million tonnes sugar by the end of the ongoing crushing season against 4.3 million tonnes in 2008-09. Sugar production is likely to increase to 8.1 million tonnes in 2010-11. Mills in Tamil Nadu have already started mechanical harvesting.

Prakash Naiknavare, managing director of the Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories in Maharashtra, told Business Standard, “The decision was taken following a series of discussions with sugar mills, especially when they have been facing severe problems in availability of skilled labour. There has been shortage at a time when the crushing season has been extended in view of surplus sugarcane. Mechanical harvesting will certainly prove to be economical, bring more efficiency and reduce the time required for harvesting cane.”

Naiknavare said mills had been holding talks with manufacturers and suppliers of machines across the world and were confident of procuring these before the start of the crushing season. He said the state government had already declared that the crushing season would begin from October 1 instead of November 1 due to surplus cane availability.

He said nearly 20 per cent sugarcane was expected to be crushed mechanically by 2011-12 and another 30 per cent in 2012-13.

“This is how the plan is being chalked out by the federation in consultations with mills.”