Maha coop sugar mills mull paying more to farmers as tax demand settles
With the Centre resolving the long-standing impasse over tax on payment of sugarcane price over and above the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) or Statutory Minimum Price (SMP) through a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), several sugar mills in the cooperative sector are now considering paying a cane price that is Rs 20-30 per quintal more than the average FRP for the 2023-24 season to farmers, according to industry sources.
This could prove to be a windfall for farmers who are members of these cooperative sugar mills, a significant number of which are located in the politically crucial state of Maharashtra.