CM Saini rolls out roadmap to modernise Haryana’s 10 sugar mills
Haryana plans to modernise its 10 cooperative sugar mills through advanced machinery, mechanised harvesting, higher sugar recovery, tissue-culture labs and new revenue streams. The government also raised the incentive for four-foot sugarcane row spacing to ₹5,000 per acre, while strengthening farmer engagement and mill efficiency.
Chandigarh: Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday laid out a plan to modernise the state’s 10 cooperative sugar mills, combining better technology and machinery with mechanised harvesting, higher sugar recovery, new revenue streams and closer engagement with cane growers. The plan also includes a higher incentive of ₹5,000 per acre for farmers adopting four-foot row spacing in sugarcane, up from ₹3,000.
The focus is not limited to keeping the mills running during the crushing season. Saini asked officials to examine off-season power generation, higher crushing capacity and new revenue streams to make better use of the mills and strengthen their finances.
One possible new market is pharmaceuticals. Federation Managing Director Capt. Shakti Singh said Rohtak Sugar Mill could supply sugar to pharmaceutical companies for syrup manufacturing once it meets the required quality standards. The mills are also looking to sell jaggery through HARHIT and Vita outlets. Karnal and Rohtak mills already sell refined sugar in one-kilogram consumer packs.
Saini also pushed for better cane quality to lift sugar recovery. He asked officials to speed up the supply of high-yield varieties approved by the Centre and source seed from other states if Haryana’s stocks are short. Indents for new varieties must be sent to the Centre’s seed portal without delay.
Four tissue culture laboratories are being set up at the Rohtak, Meham, Panipat and Karnal sugar mills to expand access to quality planting material.
Mechanised harvesting will be tested at Kaithal Sugar Mill, where machines will cut sugarcane in farmers’ fields and transport it directly to the mill. The pilot is aimed at dealing with the shortage of harvesting labour, with its results to decide whether the system is extended to other mills.
At Sonipat, the old sugar mill will be shifted to a new site. The existing unit will continue to operate with proper upkeep until the relocation is completed.
The mills will also get a common system for managing stores. Saini has made Store Management Software mandatory across the cooperative network and ordered centralised tendering for machinery maintenance. Mills will be encouraged to share spare parts with one another instead of buying fresh stock when the required parts are already available elsewhere.
Saini also sought tighter control over mill downtime. Managing directors have been asked to submit records of stoppage hours during the crushing season, while maintaining spare parts in advance and carrying out machinery maintenance on time.
The shortage of skilled technical staff is another area being addressed. The mills will tie up with polytechnic colleges and Industrial Training Institutes for personnel trained to handle sugar mill machinery. Saini also called for better upkeep and cleanliness of mill premises.
For farmers, the higher incentive under the Sugarcane Technology Mission will take the payment for four-foot row spacing to ₹5,000 per acre. Saini asked officials to publicise the scheme widely to encourage adoption.
He also wants growers to have a direct channel to the mills. Suggestion boxes will be placed at sugarcane weighment centres, with officials required to check them regularly and act on complaints within a fixed timeframe. Managing directors will meet farmers in their mill areas every four months and consider genuine suggestions.
Haryana has 10 cooperative sugar mills at Panipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Shahabad, Gohana, Sonipat, Jind, Palwal, Meham and Kaithal. Together, they have a cane-crushing capacity of 30,650 tonnes per day and also produce power and ethanol.
Saini said the objective was to strengthen the cooperative mills while improving facilities for sugarcane farmers through technology, better management and regular contact with growers.
Cooperation Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana, senior officials from the CM’s Office, cooperation and agriculture departments, elected mill directors and sugarcane growers from various mill areas attended the meeting.
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Source : The Financial World
