Sugarcane Season: The sugarcane season will last for a short period of time
Satara News: Due to the reduced area of sugarcane and on the other hand increased number and capacity of the factories, the sugarcane crushing season is likely to last for only three months this year. The weight of sugarcane will decrease due to the rains.
Fearing that this will affect sugar production, the Swabhimani Farmers’ Association has taken a stance that this time, do not grant the license to the mills without paying the previous season’s arrears. So this year the factories will have to face difficulties.
17 sugar mills are preparing to refine in the district this year. Four factories which were closed last year or were closed for a short period of time will be distilling this year. This year the area of sugarcane in the district has decreased. Such farmers have turned to other crops due to the loss of sugarcane due to lack of silage in time.
This year four factories namely Pratapgad, Khandala factory, Kisan Veer, Shivneri in Jawli are going to refine at full capacity, while big factories have increased their capacity. They will have to try to ensure that the sugarcane in their area does not go elsewhere, while the factories outside are also likely to divert sugarcane this year.
As the price of sugarcane is an issue, there is a fear of loss of sugarcane to the factories outside. The weight of the sugarcane will be affected by the rains. Sugarcane is available on 65,000 to 70,000 hectares in the district, and this sugarcane will come for crushing in October. There is still the issue of price, and no factory has the mindset of paying FRP in lump sum.
Some factories have met the FRP of last year, while others have given less. Last year some factories gave lower FRP . Then the second and third installments are given; The FRP of some factories remains within three thousand.
Farmers are not given share of income from other by-products production. A lump sum FRP should be paid this year, and sugar commissioners should not issue refinery licenses to factories that have not completed the FRP. Raju Shelke, district president of Swabhimani Sangathan, has warned that otherwise a protest will have to be started.