Not sugary-sweet

When the crushing season ends in February,the sugar production is expected to be around 180 lakh tonnes – when the demand for sugar in the country is around 225 lakh tonnes a year. This is because over the last three years,many sugarcane growers have deserted the crop to opt for other,more lucrative crops. Also,the cooperative movement has largely declined in Maharashtra,with farmers reposing little faith in the directors of the cooperatives. This has contributed to the decline of sugarcane cultivation in the state. This year,area under sugarcane in Pune district is 1.1 lakh hectares. This year,only 143 sugar mills are running in the state,less than 173 mills last year. Sugar mills are also not crushing at their maximum load because of reduced availability of sugarcane,which is also putting them under financial stress. The state is trying to encourage more farmers to come back to sugarcane by offering them a higher price. In Maharashtra,sugar cooperatives are offering farmers a higher sum — around Rs 225 per quintal — than the fair and remunerative price (FRP). The government announced a shift from the Statuary Advisory Price to the FRP this year,which led to protests from UP farmers.

PhotojournalistSandeep Daundkarzooms in.