Crushing of cane may go on till June

The crushing season of most of the sugar factories was delayed this year on account of the month-long strike of the sugarcane harvest workers. The excess sugarcane crop has aggravated the problem. The delay in crushing the sugarcane crop is also adversely affecting the recovery rate of sugarcane.

The State Government has not found any solution to the problem of excess sugarcane crop. However, the government has issued instructions that all the sugar factories should continue their crushing season until they crush the whole sugarcane crop under and outside their jurisdiction for which an agreement has been signed earlier.

Normally, the sugarcane crushing season lasts till May. The sugar factories too are willing to continue the crushing for a longer period, provided the rain gods help them by delaying the onset of the monsoons by a few days. However, most of the workers employed by the sugar factories start returning to their village in the month of May to continue tilling of their fields. Therefore, even if the State Government forces the sugar factories to delay crushing season, the efforts and planning of the factories will be in vain if the monsoon arrives early.

In the meantime, the State Government has already decided to encourage farmers to start production of jaggery. A notification in this connection was issued on December 23. The regional assistant directors of sugar and deputy registrars have been authorised to issue permits to farmers for production of jaggery.

Despite this, doubts are being expressed whether the excess sugarcane will ever be crushed. Besides, since the prices of jaggery are lower than sugar, few farmers are likely to offer their sugarcane for production of jaggery.

As far as crushing capacity is concerned, Sangamner cooperative sugar factory has been leading so far. This factory has under its jurisdiction five lakh metric tonne sugarcane and it has also signed agreements with other factories for crushing 2.10 lakh metric tonne sugarcane. Till December 31, it had crushed 2.64 lakh metric tonne sugarcane.