 "Sugar production comes down in Chhattisgarh")
The three sugar factories in the state had produced 63916 metric tonnes (MT) of sugar in the financial year 2014-15, a state government statement said. The production is slightly less than the sugar produced in the previous financial year.
In the financial year 2013-14, the three sugar factories run by the cooperative societies with state government holding share as an equity partner produced 68,196 MT of sugar. The three factories are located in village Ramhepur of Kabeerdham (Kawardha) district, village Krerta in Surajpur district and Karkabhaat of Balod district.
Also Read
The sugar production was recorded at 65,000 MT in the fiscal 2012-13. The state government had been planning to take sugar production to 100,000 MT in the state. A new sugar factory in Pandariya under Kawardha district had been announced and it would take shape soon.
According to officials, the production in Surajpur and Balod plants had come down while it had enhanced in Kawardha plant. The farmers in Kawardha had been taking sugarcane crop in large area as compared to the other two districts that could be one of the reasons for the shortfall in the production, they added.
The state required 57,500 MT of sugar per annum for distribution to the ration card holders through the public distribution system. The sugar production in Chhattisgarh from its own resources had been sufficient and it did not have to depend on Centre's allocation to meet the requirement.
The state had set a norm to stock the state's PDS with the sugar produced from the local factories only. The decision had helped the three factories to find a buyer for the produce.