Maharashtra: 65 sugar mills begin crushing amid farmer protests and drought concerns
Maharashtra’s 2026-27 sugarcane crushing season has begun, with 65 mills operational and 158 licences issued. Farmer protests, uneven rainfall and cane shortages are slowing progress. Sugar production estimates range from 75 to 90.18 lakh tonnes, while farmer organisations demand higher sugar MSP and ethanol prices amid growing uncertainty.
Kolhapur: Maharashtra’s 2026-27 sugarcane crushing season is underway, with 65 sugar mills having started operations as of October 22. Sugar Commissioner Dr Sanjay Kolte told ChiniMandi that the state had issued crushing licences to 158 mills so far, while applications from the remaining mills were being scrutinised.
The season has been slow to gather momentum in western Maharashtra due to the ongoing agitation by the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana. Kolhapur Guardian Minister Prakash Abitkar has announced that a joint meeting on starting crushing operations in the district will be held within two days. The meeting is expected to help speed up the commencement of operations at mills in the district.
The season is also facing uncertainty over sugarcane availability and the impact of uneven rainfall and drought-like conditions on the crop. While the Sugar Commissionerate has estimated Maharashtra’s sugar production at 90.18 lakh tonnes, other projections indicate a potentially sharper decline.
West India Sugar Mills Association (WISMA) president B.B. Thombre has projected a nearly 20% drop in sugar production to around 80 lakh tonnes during the current season. Agrimandi Live, after assessing rainfall patterns, crop growth and the likely impact of prevailing conditions, has estimated production at 75 lakh tonnes.
The crushing season is expected to last around 90 to 100 days. However, its duration will depend on the availability of sugarcane, the pace at which mills begin operations, their crushing capacity and weather conditions. The extent to which irregular rainfall and water shortages in some areas have affected the crop is expected to become clearer in the coming weeks. A decline in cane availability could shorten the crushing period and lead to changes in the state’s sugar production estimates.
Meanwhile, farmer organisations across Maharashtra are continuing their protests over sugar and ethanol pricing, along with other long-standing demands. They are seeking an increase in the minimum selling price (MSP) of sugar from Rs 31 to Rs 50 per kg and an increase in ethanol prices to Rs 70-75 per litre.
Their demands also include removing sugar from the list of essential commodities, introducing separate quotas and prices for domestic and industrial sugar, and scrapping the aerial-distance requirement between two sugar mills. The organisations have also called for the resolution of issues concerning sugarcane farmers, cooperative sugar mills and workers.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured farmer organisations that a joint meeting of farmer representatives and sugar millers will be arranged at the Central government level to discuss the demand for raising sugar MSP to Rs 50 per kg and ethanol prices to Rs 75 per litre.
The assurance followed a meeting between Fadnavis and representatives of various farmer organisations during his visit to Sangli four days ago. The delegation included Mahesh Kharade, state vice-president of the BJP Kisan Morcha; Jalindar Patil, state president of the Shetkari Sena; and Shivaji Mane, president of the Jai Shivray organisation. The representatives submitted a memorandum outlining various issues faced by farmers.
With crushing operations yet to gather pace across the state, the progress of farmer agitations, the availability of sugarcane and the impact of weather conditions will be key factors shaping Maharashtra’s sugar season
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Source : ChiniMandi
