KOLHAPUR: The sugar commissionerate in Pune has recommended to the state government to allow mills to start sugarcane crushing for the 2022-23 season from October 1, around 15 days ahead of the schedule every year.
The cultivation of sugarcane in the state is likely to be little more this year. The last season lasted till June 15 this year due to excess production of sugarcane in the state.
Regions such as Marathwada had faced delays in crushing. According to the agriculture department, sugarcane on thousands of acres were destroyed by the farmers themselves as the mills were not equipped to crush the excess cane.
State cooperatives minister Atul Save said, “The sugar commissionerate has suggested that the crushing season be advanced. However, a panel led by the chief minister and deputy CM will take a call on this by mid-September. If the season is advanced, the issue of excess cane production will not arise.”
During the last season, mills in the state crushed a record amount of sugarcane and produced the highest quantity of sugar in the country. The state also topped in ethanol production. The mills are now demanding that they be allowed to produce more ethanol and, accordingly, they are planning to increase their production capacity.
To help the mills from Marathwada crush excess sugarcane, harvester machines were deployed to the region from other parts of the state. This time, the sugar commissionerate is planning to procure 400 more harvesters to ensure the crushing is done till the last cane.
Meanwhile, the sugar commissionerate plans to introduce a mobile app to help farmers to register their sugarcane for crushing to nearby mills. Farmers have been complaining that despite registering for the crushing, the mills do not send their teams of cane cutters on time and the delays in the crushing leads to decline in the sweetness, production and earnings of the farmers. The sugar commissionerate will assign the task to other mills if a particular mill declines to send cutters to the fields.
The cultivation of sugarcane in the state is likely to be little more this year. The last season lasted till June 15 this year due to excess production of sugarcane in the state.
Regions such as Marathwada had faced delays in crushing. According to the agriculture department, sugarcane on thousands of acres were destroyed by the farmers themselves as the mills were not equipped to crush the excess cane.
State cooperatives minister Atul Save said, “The sugar commissionerate has suggested that the crushing season be advanced. However, a panel led by the chief minister and deputy CM will take a call on this by mid-September. If the season is advanced, the issue of excess cane production will not arise.”
During the last season, mills in the state crushed a record amount of sugarcane and produced the highest quantity of sugar in the country. The state also topped in ethanol production. The mills are now demanding that they be allowed to produce more ethanol and, accordingly, they are planning to increase their production capacity.
To help the mills from Marathwada crush excess sugarcane, harvester machines were deployed to the region from other parts of the state. This time, the sugar commissionerate is planning to procure 400 more harvesters to ensure the crushing is done till the last cane.
Meanwhile, the sugar commissionerate plans to introduce a mobile app to help farmers to register their sugarcane for crushing to nearby mills. Farmers have been complaining that despite registering for the crushing, the mills do not send their teams of cane cutters on time and the delays in the crushing leads to decline in the sweetness, production and earnings of the farmers. The sugar commissionerate will assign the task to other mills if a particular mill declines to send cutters to the fields.