UP sugar mills get 'crushing' signal

The Uttar Pradesh government today directed private sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh to start crushing operations by the date corresponding to the last season.

Last year, the crushing had started after November 15 in UP, while the state cane price was declared on December 7. Private mills were refraining from crushing as they were not ready to pay a higher price for cane to farmers. Regarding this, a  committee has been formed for fixing the cane price. The committee would forward its recommendation to the government for vetting, before being sent to cabinet for approval.

Meanwhile, the cooperative mills have been assigned specific datelines for their crushing operations.

The cooperative mills in western UP (Meerut, Saharanpur and Moradabad) have been directed to start operations between 15 and 20 November. Similarly, mills in Bareilly and Lucknow region have to start crushing between 20 and 25 November.

The cooperative mills in eastern UP have been asked to start operations by the end of November.

State cane commissioner Subhash Chandra Sharma had convened a meeting here to review the ground situation before the crushing season actually takes off in UP, which accounts for 30 per cent of India’s annual sugar output.

According to officials sources, the private mills’ officials informed him that their units had completed the preliminary technical works vital before crushing operations. They also raised their long pending demand of the declaration of state cane price before they start crushing.

The issue of cane arrears on private mills was also discussed at the meeting. The private sugar mills have cane dues of Rs 2,400 crore for 2012-13.

UP sugar millers want linking sugarcane price with sugar prices in UP, which supports over 4 million farmers’ families.

A committee has been formed for fixing cane price. The committee would forward its recommendation to the government for vetting, before being sent to cabinet for approval.