The pre-closure of five sugar mills in Uttarakhand in the midst of the crushing season has set the alarm bells ringing with new estimates suggest that sugar production in the state is likely to fall by 50 per cent this year.
With the falling sugarcane acreage, the revised estimates suggest that sugracane production has also fallen by 20 to 30 per cent, which has primarily led to the shortfall. Other reasons like growing disenchantment of farmers against non-payment of their dues have also led to the fall in production.
Out of the total 10 sugar mills in the state, five have already closed and two more are on the verge of closure due to acute shortage of sugarcane, Sugarcane Commissioner Girja Shanker Joshi said. The sugar yield in the state, which was 4.04 million quintal last year, is likely to fall by 50 per cent. The revised estimates suggest that sugar production would touch 2.1 million quintal only this year, Joshi said.
And, the crushing season has also been restricted to 90 days on the average this season. Last year, the crushing season had extended to 120 days.
But significantly, disenchantment among farmers is growing rapidly. Scores of farmers in Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar and Nainital districts have already switched over to other crops.
Meanwhile, sugarcane production, which touched 78.5 million quintals last year, is now estimated at 63 million quintals during the 2008-09, official statistics said. Similarly, the sugarcane area in the state has also been reduced by 20 per cent, which is now being estimated at 107,000 hectares.
More From This Section
Sugarcane farmers in Uttarakhand and nearby areas of western Uttar Pradesh are peeved at mill owners for not getting their dues in time.
However, officials claimed that most of the government-controlled mills in the state have settled their dues. There are 10 sugar mills in Uttarakhand which include six in government and cooperative sectors and four in the private sector.
Chief Minister BC Khanduri in December 2008 had also announced a package of Rs 56.3 crore for settling the sugarcane dues of farmers.
Last year, the government issued a package of Rs 72 crore to settle the dues of farmers.