Sugar output falls 37% at Aska Sugar

Sugar production at Aska Cooperative Sugar Industries Limited (ACSIL) in Ganjam district has dwindled this year compared to the previous year.

The sugar output in the oldest sugar industry in the cooperative sector was 92,108 quintal this year, a slump of 37 per cent against the previous year's production of 146,000 quintal, factory sources said. The sugarcane processing also reduced by 30.5 per cent from 190,000 tonne in the last year to 132,000 tonne this year, sources said.

Sugarcane processing ended last week after 111 days. ACSIL had targeted to produce 180,000 quintal of sugar in 2014.

The sugarcane processing and sugar production had dwindled this year due to the destruction of sugarcane crop by the Phailin cyclonic storm that hit the district in October 2013, said managing director of ACSIL Trilochan Majhi.
 

Majhi said, factory authorities would try to increase the sugar output in the next year by raising the sugarcane cultivation area.

Meanwhile, discontentment is brewing among the sugarcane growers in the district as they are yet to get their dues from ACSIL even a fortnight after the processing of sugarcane ended. The government-run factory closed its crushing on May 14 but dues worth Rs 22-24 crore are yet to be disbursed to the farmers.