WISMA submits key demands ahead of Maharashtra’s 2026–27 sugar season
WISMA has sought ₹750 per tonne financial assistance from the Centre and Maharashtra for cane crushed before November 15, warning that early crushing could reduce sugar recovery and cane weight. The association also highlighted declining sugar prices, lower cane availability, pending subsidies and transport reimbursements, and demanded equal support for private and cooperative mills.
Pune: The West Indian Sugar Mills Association (WISMA) has sought immediate financial support for private sugar mills in Maharashtra, warning that the decision to begin the 2026–27 crushing season from October 15 could result in substantial losses for both mills and sugarcane farmers.
WISMA President B B Thombre has submitted a representation to Sugar Commissioner Dr Sanjay Kolte ahead of the Ministerial Committee meeting scheduled for September 9, 2026, in Mumbai. The association has outlined several concerns related to cane availability, early crushing, rising costs and pending government payments.
WISMA said Maharashtra received good rainfall during the 2025–26 season, supporting sugarcane cultivation across around 1.4 million hectares. However, lower rainfall this year has created drought-like conditions in several parts of the state. With fresh cane planting declining and ratoon cane, or khodwa, accounting for about 60% of standing cane, the association expects sugarcane and sugar output to decline.
The state’s sugar mills have a combined daily crushing capacity of about 1.04 million tonnes. WISMA fears that lower cane availability, along with the October 15 start, could reduce the effective crushing period to less than 100 days and increase financial pressure on mills.
The association has raised particular concerns over crushing cane before it reaches full maturity. Sugarcane in Maharashtra generally matures around mid-November, while the Centre has directed mills to start crushing from October 15 to address sugar availability concerns during the festive period.
WISMA estimates that processing immature cane between October 15 and November 15 could lower sugar recovery by 1% to 1.5%, resulting in a loss of Rs 450 to Rs 500 per tonne for mills. Farmers could also lose Rs 300 to Rs 350 per tonne because immature cane may weigh 10% to 12% less.
The combined impact could reach Rs 750 to Rs 800 per tonne. WISMA has therefore demanded financial assistance of Rs 750 per tonne from the state and Central governments for all cane crushed before November 15.
The association also highlighted the pressure from falling sugar prices and rising production costs. After briefly increasing in early August, ex-factory sugar prices fell to around Rs 4,400 per quintal following government measures and the decision to import one million tonnes of raw sugar.
At the same time, mills are dealing with an FRP of Rs 3,650 per tonne at a 10.25% recovery rate, an 80% wage increase demand from cane-harvesting worker unions and demands from farmer organisations for higher payments.
WISMA has also sought equal treatment for private and cooperative mills in Maharashtra. It said the Centre follows the same approach towards both sectors, while state-level support has not been equally available to private mills.
The association has sought the release of Rs 492 crore in pending interest subsidies for 27 private sugar mills under the Soft Loan 2015 scheme for 2016–17, 2017–18 and 2018–19. While the state released the promised assistance to cooperative mills through an order dated March 31, 2019, the amount due to private mills remains unpaid.
WISMA has also demanded payment of Rs 8.45 crore to eight private mills towards transport costs and sugar recovery losses incurred during the 2010–11 surplus cane season. The mills had crushed cane beyond their designated areas and operated late into the season following government directions. The association said the Bombay High Court’s Aurangabad Bench, through Decision 1602/2014, had directed reimbursement, but the payment remains pending after more than a decade.
WISMA has urged the government to address these issues and ensure equal access to financial assistance and policy measures for private and cooperative sugar mills ahead of the new crushing season.
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Source : ChiniMandi
