With cane arrears rising, industry wants higher floor price for sugar

Industry calls for immediate increase in minimum selling price as arrears mounting by the day

Despite various government measures to bail out sugar mills from their financial woes, cane payment arrears reached Rs 19,000 crore for the season up to December 31. 

This was more than double last year’s arrears at the same date. Of the total, around Rs 5,000 crore was carried over from last year. The rest was for cane supplies for barely six weeks of the current season. Mills began crushing in the second half of November for the 1-season, which officially began October 1.

A food ministry official said the arrears were mounting by the day, due to over-production and lack