Maharashtra: 41 sugar mills still waiting for crushing licences as several applications sent back for falling short of norms
Maharashtra’s 2026-27 sugar season saw 106 mills crush 64.91 lakh tonnes of cane and produce 48.65 lakh quintals of sugar by October 28, with 7.49% recovery. However, 41 mills are still awaiting crushing licences due to incomplete applications and pending compliance with government requirements.
Pune: The 2026-27 sugarcane crushing season is now underway in Maharashtra. As of October 28, 106 sugar mills in the state had together produced 48.65 lakh quintals of sugar. According to information shared by the Sugar Commissionerate, 64.91 lakh tonnes of sugarcane have been crushed in the state so far, with an average sugar recovery of 7.49 percent. However, even though the season has begun, 41 sugar mills in the state are yet to receive their crushing licences. This has left uncertainty over when these mills will buy farmers’ cane and begin crushing.
For this year’s season, 106 cooperative and 107 private sugar mills in the state have applied for licences. To get a crushing licence, mills must meet certain mandatory conditions. The key ones include paying farmers 100 percent of the previous season’s Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), and clearing government fees and outstanding loans. Mills also need to submit a certificate stating that they do not cause pollution. If a mill is being run on a lease or partnership basis, a copy of the registered agreement must be submitted along with the application.
Meanwhile, by last week, the licence applications of 13 cooperative and 9 private sugar mills had been sent back so that they could meet the required conditions. The applications of some other mills are still being scrutinised. An official from the Sugar Commissionerate told the daily Agrowon that the licensing process has been made simpler. Sugar mills that meet all the prescribed norms are being issued licences online, so there is no need to make repeated trips to the Commissionerate. However, some mills are not following the rules and conditions laid down by the government.
Some applications contain incomplete information, while some mills have not attached certificates showing payment of government fees. In such cases, it is not possible to issue licences to these mills, so they have been directed to fix the gaps in their applications and submit the necessary documents. At present, crushing has started at 106 sugar mills in the state, 51 cooperative and 55 private. The remaining mills are expected to start crushing soon as well. Notably, during the last crushing season, only two private sugar mills had started operations in the state by October 28. This year, a large number of mills have begun crushing right at the start of the season.
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Source : ChiniMandi
