OUTSTANDING DUES TO SUGARCANE GROWERS
As per available
information, the estimated outstanding cane price arrears for
the season 2000-2001 and 2001-02 are about Rs. 40.35 crores and
Rs. 99.80 crores, respectively.
The following steps
have been taken by the Government to facilitate speedy clearance
of the cane price dues of the sugarcane growers:-
A buffer stock of
20 lakh tonnes of sugar has been created for a period of one year,
as a result of which the sugar factories would receive a subsidy
amount of Rs. 412 crores (from the Sugar Development Fund) for
the exclusive purpose of payment of cane price dues. In addition,
about Rs. 374 crores would become available from the banks on
account of additional margin money. Thus, about Rs. 786 crores
would be available to the sugar factories to clear the payments
of cane price dues to the sugarcane growers.
The levy obligation
of the sugar factories has been reduced to 10 per cent w.e.f.,
1st March, 2002 to enable the factories to sell more
sugar under non-levy quota in the open market.
The sugar factories
have been extended temporary relief by way of permission to sell
equivalent quantity of unlifted levy sugar stocks as non-levy
sugar in the open market. During the season 2001-2002, a quantitty
of 2,21,513.7 MTs on unlifted levy sugar stocks were allowed to
be sold as non-levy sugar.
Exports of sugar
are being allowed without any quantitative restrictions and, to
encourage such exports, the Sugar Development Fund (SDF) Act,
1982 and SDF Rules, 1983 have been amended to neturalize the internal
transport and ocean freight disadvantage.
This information
was given in Lok Sabha today by the Minister of State for Consumer
Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri V. Sreenivasa Prasad
in a written reply.
