State targets production of 6.2 mt of the sweetener this crushing season.
With sugarcane crushing on in full swing in Uttar Pradesh, 120 odd sugar mills have produced nearly one million tonnes (MT) of sugar.
The state is targeting production of 6.2 MT of the sweetener during this crushing season compared to about 5.8 MT during 2010-11.
According to official statistics, all the mills had crushed nearly 12 MT of sugarcane producing 0.98 MT of sugar.
“The sugar recovery in UP is averaging 8.14 per cent with mills located in central and eastern parts showing comparatively better recovery percentage,” a sugarcane department official told Business Standard.
Sugarcane crushing in UP had started on a feeble note in the last week of October and picked up pace only from the third week of November.
Four sugar mills, including three in private sector and one in the cooperatives sector, are still not functional.
Meanwhile, the state government had lodged first information reports (FIRs) against 35 odd sugar mills under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 for alleged irregularities in weighing of cane supplied by farmers.
Earlier, the government had taken a tough stance against mills to ensuring early crushing by them, so that farmers could empty their fields for the rabi crop of wheat.
This year, the state had announced about 20 per cent hike in cane State Advised Price (SAP) to Rs 240-250 per quintal expecting the hike would result in total payments of over Rs 15,000 crore during 2011-12 to farmers.
The millers had contended that SAP was too high and without any logic, which would put financial strain on them. They had later moved Allahabad High Court and the matter is sub-judice.
In the recent hearing, millers’ counsel had submitted the power of the state to fix SAP stood over ridden by amendments made by the Centre in the Sugar Cane Control Order 1966 empowering it to determine a Fair & Remunerative Price (FAR) after considering the cost of cane production, return to mills from sugar/by-products and a suitable margin for risks and profits for farmers.
