Maha CM requests PM to implement sugar panel recommendations

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to implement the recommendations of the Dr Rangarajan Committee on deregulation of the sugar sector, an official said today.
Chavan, who recently met the Prime Minister in Delhi, also sought minimum support price for sugarcane.
"Chavan told the Prime Minister that the sugar crushing season for 2013-14 has started. Presently, there is 90 lakh metric tonnes of surplus sugar in the country while, in Maharashtra alone, around 24 lakh metric tonnes of sugar is surplus," the official said.
For the 2012-13 crushing season, the price of sugar was Rs 3,300-3,400 per quintal. However, now it has come down to Rs 2,600-2,650 per quintal, the official said.

Since the prices have plummeted, sugar factories are finding it difficult to recover production costs, he said.
Besides, due to dipping profits, farmers were finding it difficult to repay their bank loans, he added.
Chavan has requested that the PM look into the matter and take a decision in this regard, the official said.