Sugarcane dues: UP sets June 15 deadline for defaulting mills

Taking a tough stance against private sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh defaulting in farmers’ payment commitments, the state government today said the concerned mill owners would be arrested if the dues were not cleared by June 15.

Uttar Pradesh sugarcane development and sugar industry minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui today directed officials if full dues were not settled by those mills, who had recovery certificates (RC) issued against them, their owners be arrested.

The farmers’ cane dues are pending on about 13 private sugar mills located in Saharanpur, Meerut, Moradabad and eastern region of the state.

Besides, five other mills in Moradabad, Lucknow and Faizabad region had defaulted in paying cane societies commission. The minister has directed for issuing RCs against these units.

Meanwhile, almost 98 per cent of total cane dues amounting to over Rs 13,000 crore pertaining to the 2010-11 crushing season in the state had been paid so far.

The department is now preparing for next crushing season and cane area survey is on, which has estimated acreage to increase 10.2 per cent to 2,316 million hectares (MH) compared to 2,101 MH in 2010-11. While fresh cane plantation is likely to increase by 5.7 per cent, ratoon crop is estimated to rise by 15 per cent. Areas, where major increase in cane acreage is likely, include Meerut, Moradabad, Bareilly, Lucknow, Faizabad, Devi Patan, Gorakhpur, Deoria and Saharanpur.

Uttar Pradesh is employing Global Positioning System (GPS) to ascertain sugarcane area for the coming season. GPS would ensure acreage estimates are more accurate to enable the department prepare better for the impending season. Besides, it would help sugar mills in ascertaining cane availability in their reservation area.