The Aska Cooperative Sugar Industries Limited (ACSIL) has agreed to pay Rs 5 crore towards its dues to the sugarcane growers. The oldest sugar industry in cooperative sector, based at Aska in south Odisha's Ganjam district, owes around Rs 12 crore to the farmers.
The sugarcane growers in Ganjam district who threatened to launch agitation demanding their dues, have now decided to defer their stir following assurance from ACSIL.
“We have postponed our agitation plan as the factory authorities agreed to pay the dues,” said Samir Pradhan, general secretary, Ganjam District Sugarcane Growers’ Association (GDSGA). He also urged the authorities to make arrangements for payment of the rest amount to the farmers.
He warned that the sugarcane growers would be forced to launch agitation if the factory authorities make further delay in payment of the dues.
ACSIL sources said the factory paid around Rs 29.38 crore to the farmers towards cost of 0.13 million tonnes of sugarcane processed up to March 15 this year. The payment of around Rs 12 crore was due for procurement of 58,000 tonnes of sugarcane.
