Crush sugarcane till stock is available, UP millers told

Cracking a whip on the sugar industry in the state, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has directed that till the time there is sugarcane in the state, the mills should continue crushing.

If there is any laxity in running the mills or there is any complaint against them for not purchasing sugarcane, the sugar mills will have to face severe action.

Directing the officers of the sugarcane development department to ensure that the farmers are able to supply their cane to the nearest sugar mill, she said the state government will not compromise on the interests of the farmers. The government also arrested top officials of two sugar mills for failing to comply with its earlier order directing mills to start crushing within the given time-frame.

“Owing to the indifference shown by the general managers of two sugar mills, they had to be arrested,” an official statement said, further adding that managers of other sugar mills should also be cautious by this step of the state government. “They should get ready to comply with the orders issued in the interests of cane farmers,” the statement added.

Mayawati added owing to the tough stand taken by the state government, 23 sugar mills of the western UP had already started cane crushing and she warned that the remaining mills should begin cane crushing within next three days or face the consequences.

“The farmers are highly enthused by the SAP announced by the state government and owing to the special efforts of the government, the sugar mills have started cane crushing two weeks earlier, compared to last year,” she said, adding that 23,32,976 quintal of sugarcane had been purchased so far during the current crushing season and 18,78,272 quintal of sugarcane had already been crushed.

“Since the sugar mills have started crushing at the earliest, Rabi sowing too, can be completed in a timely manner,” she said, adding that she has asked all the DMs, cane development societies and representatives of the sugar mills to provide additional encouragement and facilities to the cane growers on the basis of mutual understanding.

It may be recalled that the the state government hiked the cane prices by Rs 40 per quintal for the current crushing season, by which about 40 lakh cane farmers would be benefited by this decision.

source: financialexpress