Sugarcane crushing season in the state from October 15.
The decision in the meeting of the Committee of Ministers was chaired by the Chief Minister.
The decision to start sugarcane crushing season for 2021-22 in the state from October 15, 2021, was taken at a meeting of the Committee of Ministers chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The meeting also unanimously decided that offences should be registered against the executive directors of the mills which will start crushing sugarcane before October 15, 2021.
The immediate decision should be taken on the report of the study group
A study group was set up under the chairmanship of the Sugar Commissioner to determine the FRP as directed by the Central Government. The study group has submitted its report to the government today, on which the co-operation department should submit the report to the sugarcane control board and make a decision as soon as possible.
Farmers should be paid FRP immediately
The meeting also decided that the sugar mills should pay the FRP to the farmers immediately. The meeting also decided that guidelines should be issued to the factories which do not pay the FRP amount on time and in full to the farmers to decide whether to supply sugarcane for sifting in the coming season or not.
After the meeting was informed that 146 sugar mills in the state have paid 100 per cent of the FARP amount to the farmers, it was also decided not to issue crushing licenses to other mills which have paid the FRP to the farmers in full. The meeting also directed the factory to deposit the loan amount directly from the banks in the bank accounts of the farmers.
Threshing season 2021-22
As per the FRP rate fixed by the Central Government for the crushing season 2021-22, a rate of Rs. 2900 per tons has been fixed for a 10 per cent reduction. In 2021-22, the area under sugarcane cultivation in the state is 12.32 lakh hectares and the production is expected to be 97 tons per hectare. It is estimated that 1096 lakh tonnes of sugarcane will be crushed and 112 lakh tones of sugar is likely to be produced. About 193 sugar mills will be operational this season.
Ethanol production
Ethanol projects are implemented in 112 co-operative and private factories in the state. 206 crore out of which Ethanol is produced. It was also informed in the meeting that the target of 10% ethanol blending will be achieved by 2022 as the central government has adopted a policy of boosting ethanol production from sugar, sugar syrup and B-heavy molasses.
Farmers should be encouraged to bring sugarcane fields under drip
Bringing sugarcane under drip irrigation increases the yield. The meeting also decided to encourage the farmers to bring more and more areas of sugarcane under drip irrigation and to create awareness among the farmers.
The demands made by the State Sugar Union on behalf of the cooperative sugar factories were informed in the meeting. This was discussed at length in the meeting.
