Shri Sharad Yadav,
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
called upon the management of sugar mills to clear the sugar cane
price due to farmers on a priority basis. Inaugurating the 68th
Annual General Meeting of Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA)
here today, the Minister said that the cane price arrears stood
at around Rs.647 crores and the dues of the UP Sugar Mills were
to the tune of Rs.359.74 crore, which were more than 50 per cent
of the total dues of the farmers in the country.
Reiterating the steps
initiated by the Government to alleviate hardship of sugarcane
growers, the Minister said that sugar mills could avail of funds
provided by the Ministry amounting to Rs.786 crores for paying
sugar cane farmers. As far as allocation of buffer stock, sugar
factories who had not sold sugar over and above the allocated
quota from the Directorate and who were having high inventory
of sugar should be compensated by giving more sugar subsidy, the
minister said.
. The minister
expressed satisfaction that 92 out of 100 working sugar mills
in Uttar Pradesh have started crushing operations and the remaining
mills are expected to start shortly. Out of 332 working factories
from other states 272 mills have started crushing for the season,
he pointed out.
Shri Sharad Yadav
also indicated the decision of the Ministry to enforce lavy sugar
"Release Mechanism" to prevent the crises of sugar industry
from further deteriorating. He also pointed out that more assistance
to sugar exporters will be provided in addition to the existing
incentive of reimbursement of inland transport and freight charges.
