Sugar mills have paid Rs 49,418 crore to sugarcane farmers so far in the 2011-12 marketing year ending next month and Rs 1,399 crore is still pending,the government said today. That apart,sugar mills owe Rs 97.65 crore for 2010-11 marketing year (October-September) and Rs 256.3 crore for 2009-10 marketing year and earlier. The total cane price arrears stand at Rs 1,752.74 crore,according to the data submitted by Food Minister K V Thomas in the Lok Sabha. Out of 1,399 crore due to cane farmers in 2011-12,sugar mills of Uttar Pradesh owe maximum at Rs 562 crore,followed by Tamil Nadu Rs 311 crore,Uttaranchal Rs 170 crore and Andhra Pradesh Rs 121 crore. "The cane price dues mainly pertain to supply of sugarcane in the current season. The dues of previous seasons are generally on account of matters being sub-judice,mills taken under Securitisation Act by lender banks," Thomas said. He said dues in the current 2011-12 marketing year have arisen mainly because of low realisation from sale of sugar till June. Thomas informed the House that The Sugarcane (Control) Order,1966 stipulates payment of interest at the rate of 15 per cent per annum on amount due for the delayed period beyond 14 days. Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra governments have issued 29 revenue recovery certificates each,while Karnataka has issued five and Uttaranchal one.
