Of Rs 291cr sugarcane dues, Punjab farmers not paid Rs 28cr, reveals Union minister Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya
Sugar mills owe farmers Rs 291 crore over three years, with Punjab’s share at Rs 28 crore. The 2024-25 season’s outstanding dues total Rs 15,504 crore across 13 states. The government claims over 99.9% of past dues are cleared, with 80% of current season payments settled. Rajya Sabha members have raised concerns over delayed payments.
Bathinda: Sugar mills owe sugarcane farmers Rs 291 crore over the past three years, with Punjab’s farmers alone accounting for Rs 28 crore of this total.
The figures were disclosed by the minister of state for consumer affairs, food, and public distribution, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, in a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
According to the data, the total outstanding dues in the ongoing 2024-25 sugar season (Oct 2024 to Sept 2025) stand at Rs 15,504 crore across 13 states, with Rs 751 crore owed to farmers in Punjab. The dues for the past three seasons were as follows: Rs 82 crore in 2021-22, including Rs 28 crore in Punjab; Rs 104 crore in 2022-23; and Rs 105 crore in 2023-24.
In years 2022-23 and 2023-24, no pending payments remain for Punjab farmers from sugar mills.
The minister stated that the govt has implemented several measures aimed at reducing cane price arrears. These efforts have resulted in a substantial reduction in the outstanding dues, with more than 99.9% of cane dues cleared up until the 2023-24 sugar season. Furthermore, as of March 5, 2025, more than 80% of the dues for the current season have been settled.
Rajya Sabha members Vaiko and M Shanmugam had raised concerns regarding the growing arrears, questioning why sugar mills have failed to clear dues to farmers regularly. They also sought details on the govt’s actions to ensure timely payment of the outstanding amounts and prevent further accumulation of arrears in future seasons.
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Source : The Times Of India
