Sugar machinery industry urged to adopt innovation and automation to enhance growth

New Delhi: “Sugar Machinery Industry is a reflective of the Indian manufacturing panorama with huge opportunities in exports to countries such as Latin America and Africa, adopting energy efficient means of production and a growing domestic demand” said Mr K B Pranesh, Chairman, Sugar Machinery Division and Managing Director, Fives Cail-KCP Ltd while addressing the CII National Seminar on Sugar Machinery Industry in New Delhi.

He outlined various challenges currently faced by the sugar machinery manufacturers which include absence of credit lines and financing for exports to the required extent, hampering exports, specially to countries in Africa, having huge demand.

Mr Arvind Mehta, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, delivering the special address outlined the various support facilities provided by the Government to encourage exports. He said that the government is considering the request from sugar industry for de-regulation to bring the industry at a level playing field with the other industries. He further mentioned that the Government would prefer a “feather touch” approach - an export tariff model instead of one banning exports, similar to the one present for export of iron ore. Mr Mehta outlined the various schemes of the government to boost international trade such as the Market Access Initiative scheme, Reverse Buyer Seller Meets, and Credit Insurance to Banks under ECGC, that will encourage the banks to leverage credit to the industry.

Ms Rajshree Pathy Vice-Chairperson, CII National Committee on Sugar and Chairman & MD Rajshree Sugars & Chemicals, said that huge opportunity lies with the machinery manufacturers. She stated that in the wake of shortage of availability of labor, there is a growing demand for low cost cane harvesters. Currently the domestic industry for cane harvesters is in the nascent stage and huge prospects lie for the machinery manufacturers to capture this segment.

“The main mantra of success for the industry today lies in innovation, automation, mechanization and product diversification” stressed Dr G S C Rao, President, Sugar Technologist Association of India and CEO, Simbhaoli Sugars Limited. He stated that with an estimated increase in domestic production capacity of sugar to 34 million tones, the sugar machinery manufacturers have an optimistic future ahead. Advocating the growing demand in sugar globally, he stressed on the need for product diversification and production of raw, refined and organic sugar by using energy efficient machinery in order to capture global markets.

Sugar export is one big focus area for this industry to grow at a sustained rate. With growing demand for Indian sugar abroad, this opportunity would augur well for both sugar manufacturers and sugar machinery manufacturers. Mr Sanjay Awasthi, Business Head – Sugar, ISGEC called for concerted efforts between government and industry for understanding the growth enablers creating value addition for the industry.

CII through its National Committee on Sugar, is also advocating de-control and de-regularization of the industry. The sugar machinery industry with voluminous potential in technology development, need for low cost equipment, increasing credit leveraging by financial institutions and continuous government support, is expected to grow at a robust rate.

source: orissadiary