Madhuraj to set up Rs 281-cr sugar mill

Madhuraj Agrotech Ltd, a group company of Ludhiana-based Trident Group, will invest Rs 281 crore in its sugar project near Barnala. This project will mark the Trident Group's foray into distillery and power co-generation, besides sugar.

Sources in the company said the sugar unit would be set up with the initial capacity of 5,000 tonnes crushing per day (TCD), which will be expanded in a phased manner to 12,500 TCD. It will come up under the banner of Madhuraj Agrotech Ltd. The factory will start procuring sugarcane from the farmers by December this year and the crushing will start simultaneously.

The company will initiate a cane development programme to facilitate farmers with inputs and information to optimise their yields. The company also plans to enter in a buy-back arrangement with the farmers. This agro-based project will provide direct employment to nearly 600 persons.

"Our company will not only provide the farmers with high-yielding varieties of sugarcane, but also the necessary farm implements. We will also provide guidance to the farmers on various cane-growing practices. This will ensure a healthy, disease-free crop," said Rajinder Gupta, CEO, Trident Group

The company has already started working with the farmers to bring at least 20,000 acres of land under sugarcane cultivation in the reserve area of the sugar factory. This task is expected to be completed between February and April this year.

"A number of field representatives will be in close contact with farmers to provide them with the necessary assistance," Gupta added.

The state-of-the-art industrial complex will be effluent-free as the entire industrial wastewater will be re-circulated internally after treatment.

The commissioning of the sugar unit will be followed by the commissioning of a 33-Mw power co-generation plant as well as the 60 kilolitres/day distillery at the same location.

Trident Group is a Rs 1,500-crore global enterprise, spanning across 40 countries. The group has a business portfolio encompassing products ranging from terry towels, non-terry products, yarn, writing and printing paper, IT, energy to chemicals. It is among the world's largest terry-towel and wheat-husk based paper manufacturers and ranks amongst one of India's largest yarn spinners.