SUGAR MILLS IN KARNATKA
The sugar factories
have, in general, expressed difficulties in payment of cane price
dues to the sugarcane farmers. In recent months, the central government
initiated several steps to assist the sugar industry to clear
cane price arrears including creation of buffer stock of 20 lakh
tonnes of sugar (in December 2000) for a period of one year, reimbursement
of internal transport charges and neutralization of ocean freight
disadvantage on exports of sugar.
Government of Karnataka
has reported that a Cabinet Sub-Committee under the Chairmanship
of the Minister for Agriculture has been appointed to go into
details about the reasons and possible revival in respect of sick
sugar mills. The amount due to sugarcane farmers from cooperative
sugar factories in the State is Rs. 64.30 crores.
This information
was given in Rajya Sabha today by the Minister of State for Consumer
Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri V. Sreenivasa Prasad
in a written reply.
