Goa to revive Sanjivani Sugar Factory with new tender, focus on organic products
Goa has launched a fresh bid to revive its only sugar mill, Sanjivani Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana, shut since 2019. A new nationwide tender, expected by September-end, will focus on premium products like organic sugar, jaggery, and ethanol. The move aims to support farmers and boost cane cultivation sustainably.
Panaji, Sep 4: In a renewed push to revive Sanjivani Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Limited (SSSK) — Goa’s only sugar factory, shut since 2019 — the state government has initiated a fresh feasibility study to align the defunct facility with global market trends, focusing on high-value sugar products such as organic sugar, sulphur-free sugar, and jaggery.
The PPP (Public-Private Partnership) Cell is preparing a new tender to develop an integrated sugar and distillery unit, which is expected to be floated nationwide by the end of September. An ethanol production unit is also being considered in a subsidiary form.
PPP Cell director Rajan Satardekar confirmed that the feasibility study was conducted through a private agency with global industry experience, and that the tender would be more attractive this time due to diversification plans.
“Today, people are looking at premium sugar types like organic, sulphur-free, and jaggery. We’re planning to align the factory with these demands,” Satardekar said.
Revival Efforts So Far
Past revival efforts have fallen flat:
• 2022: Two bidders responded to the Request for Qualification (RFQ), but failed to qualify.
• 2024: No bidder showed interest.
The new strategy aims to address these shortcomings by offering a more lucrative and diversified business model.
Farmer Impact and Recommendations
The shutdown has affected over 700 sugarcane farmers, many of whom have either reduced cultivation or shifted to other crops.
From a peak of 47,000 tonnes of sugarcane production, the figure has now plummeted to 10,000 metric tonnes, most of which is currently supplied to mills in Karnataka and Maharashtra at zero profit.
A 21-member Sugarcane Farmers Facilitation Committee has:
• Strongly backed the revival of SSSK
• Recommended a shift towards ethanol production
• Suggested supporting local jaggery-making units
• Emphasised extension services to help farmers adopt high-sugar-yield varieties
Government Support
To cushion the economic blow to farmers, the government has launched a two-year procurement scheme under which:
• Sugarcane is procured at Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) as notified by the Centre.
• A government-appointed agency will handle procurement and weighing at the factory.
• Financial assistance will be disbursed directly to cultivators.
With the revival tender expected by September-end and a renewed focus on value-added products, Goa hopes to rejuvenate its sugar industry and bring back farmers into sugarcane cultivation with a sustainable, market-aligned model.
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Source : Daijiworld
