Kolhapur: The state sugar commissionerate has issued licences to 175 mills in Maharashtra, most of which have already started sugar cane crushing, but without announcing the price that will be paid to the farmers.
Every sugar cane harvesting season, especially in Kolhapur and Sangli, begins with protests demanding the mills to announce the price. On Monday, Andolan Ankush, a sugar cane farmers' organisation based in Shirol, stopped the cutting of canes since Jawahar Sugar Mill did not announce the price.
The Centre has announced Rs 3,400 per tonne for a sugar recovery rate of 10.25%. The sugar recovery rate is the amount of sugar produced after crushing per tonne of cane. The outfits have demanded a higher price than the fair and remunerative price (FRP) declared by the central govt. In Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara, the sugar recovery rate is more than 11%.
Raju Shetti, president of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, has written to sugar commissioner Kunal Khemnar to call for a meeting to discuss the price of sugar cane this season.
"We demand Rs 3,700 per tonne for the sugar cane crushed in the region because the price of sugar in the open market is more than Rs 40 per kg. Also, the mills are likely to gain from byproducts. I asked the commissioner to call a meeting to resolve the price issue first. If the price issue is not resolved, we have no other option but to agitate and stop cane cutting."
The state had fixed Nov 15 as the date for the start of crushing, but owing to shortage of cane cutters and leaders busy with the assembly election, the process started only after the results were declared on Saturday. "There can be less sugar recovery due to delay in crushing. Also, the demand to raise the minimum support price (MSP) of sugar has not yet been met. Therefore, to ensure a smooth season financially, the mills need to have capital in their hands," a sugar mill operator said.
