15 sugar mills face action over non-payment of FRP
: The state sugar commissionerate has taken legal action against 15
sugar mills
by issuing Revenue Recovery Certificates (RRC) for failing to pay
sugarcane farmers
the
Fair and Remunerative Price
(FRP).
The details comes from a bi-weekly report submitted to the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution. The RRC is a legal instrument the sugar commissioner's office uses to ensure farmers receive their dues promptly.
According to the Sugarcane (Control) Order of 1966, mills are legally obligated to pay the FRP within 14 days of can crushing. The RRC empowers district authorities to recover these outstanding payments through auctioning sugar stocks and seizing assets.
For the current 2024-25 crushing season, 200 sugar factories across
Maharashtra
have collectively crushed approximately 85 tonnes of sugar cane. Of the total FRP due, which amounts to Rs22,732 crore (excluding harvesting and transportation costs), Rs752 crore is yet to be paid to farmers.
A senior official from the sugar commissioner's office, while talking to TOI, said while 125 factories have paid 100% of the FRP, 21 factories have paid less than 60%. The office has directed local authorities to engage with these mills to expedite the payment process. Notably, some mills, particularly those in Kolhapur, pay farmers more than the stipulated FRP, which is determined by the sugar recovery rate.
Currently, only one factory has crushing operations ongoing. "The cane crushing was started late and the mill is crushing at a rate of 6,000 tonnes per day. It is located in Pune district and may end crushing in a few days, following which, officially, the crushing season will end," said the official.
In the current season, 80.8 lakh tonnes of sugar has been produced after crushing 852 lakh tonnes of sugar cane. In comparison to last season, there is a dip in sugar production. Around 1,100 lakh tonnes of sugar was produced then. The sugar recovery rate has also dipped from 10.25% in 2023-24 to 9.48% in the ongoing season.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Andhra Pradesh bags 10 awards under ODOP initiative
Vijayawada: In a significant achievement, Andhra Pradesh has bagged ten prestigious awards under the 'One District – One Product' (ODOP) initiative. Special chief secretary (handlooms and textiles), RP Sisodia said that seven of these awards were bagged by handloom and handicraft products, while two were awarded to agriculture-based products. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In addition, the state received another award in the inter-state ODOP category. Awards will be presented at the national ceremony scheduled to be held on Monday in New Delhi. "Awards are a result of focused efforts by the state govt under the leadership of chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who has prioritized the revival and promotion of traditional crafts and rural livelihoods. The Bobbili Veena from Vizianagaram, Etikoppaka toys from Anakapalli, Peddapuram silk sarees from Kakinada, Chirala silk sarees from Bapatla, Venkatagiri sarees from Tirupati, Narasapur crochet lace from West Godavari, and Dharmavaram silk sarees from Sri Sathya Sai district among the award-winning handloom and handicraft products," Sisodia told TOI. He explained that Guntur chilli and cashew from Srikakulam have also received ODOP honours under the agriculture category. He said that district collectors and skilled artisans from respective districts have already departed to New Delhi to receive the awards. Sisodia expressed happiness that within just one year of the coalition govt taking charge, the state has earned national-level recognition through ten ODOP awards. "The state govt is actively working to bring more products under the ODOP framework. Chief minister Naidu has already raised the issue with the central govt, seeking recognition for banana from Kadapa, tomato from Chittoor, and groundnut from Anantapur under the ODOP scheme. The objective is to ensure that each district in Andhra Pradesh is represented with a signature product, which will promote local industries and empower producers," said Sisodia.
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Indian Express
Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asks CMs to immediately stop forced sale of nano-fertilisers and biostimulants to farmers
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has asked the state governments to immediately stop the 'forced tagging' of nano-fertilisers or biostimulants along with conventional fertilisers like urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP). In a letter to chief ministers, Chouhan highlighted complaints that retailers are not selling subsidised conventional fertilisers such as urea, DAP, etc. to farmers unless they purchase nano-fertilisers or biostimulants. 'It is illegal to forcibly force farmers to purchase other products by tagging them with conventional fertilizer bags,' Chouhan wrote. Chouhan asked them to immediately stop the forced tagging of the nano-fertilizers and biostimulants with conventional fertilisers. 'Forced tagging of nano-fertilizers or bio-stimulant products along with conventional fertilizers should be stopped immediately. In such cases, legal action should be taken against the culprits as per law,' he wrote. Chouhan also asked the chief ministers to take strict action against the sale of spurious and substandard fertilisers. He said that agriculture is the backbone of India's economy, and to ensure stability in farmers' income, it is essential to provide them with quality fertilisers at the right time, at affordable prices, and of standard quality. He said that the sale of counterfeit or substandard fertilisers is prohibited under the Fertiliser (Control) Order 1985, which falls under the Essential Commodities Act 1955. It is the responsibility of the states to ensure adequate availability of fertilisers at the right places and locations where it is required, he said. Therefore, states must strictly monitor and take swift action against activities such as black marketing, overpricing, and diversion of subsidised fertilisers, he added. He urged the chief ministers to hold regular monitoring of fertiliser production and sale as well as to carry out sampling and testing to ensure strict control over spurious and substandard products. 'Strict legal action, including cancellation of licenses and registration of FIRs, should be taken against the culprits, and effective prosecution must be ensured to secure conviction,' he said. He also urged all states to launch a statewide campaign to eliminate the problem of fake and substandard agricultural inputs from its roots. Chouhan's letter assumes significance amid his recent remarks about nano-fertilisers and biostimulants. During the Kharif 2025 conference, Chouhan flagged concerns about the inefficiency of nano urea. At a recent conference, he also questioned the usefulness of biostimulants. Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister's Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Agri Minister asks states to crack down on sale of fake fertilisers, warns against forced tagging
Union Agriculture Minister Shivaraja Singh Chouhan has urged states and union territories to take strict action against the sale of counterfeit and substandard fertilisers. He emphasized regular monitoring, sampling, and testing, while also stopping forced tagging of nano-fertilisers. Chouhan directed states to involve farmers in monitoring and educate them on identifying genuine products, ensuring quality fertilisers for India's agricultural backbone. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Popular in Ind'l Goods/Svs 1. Deepak Fertilisers inks pact with Petronet LNG for regasification Union Agriculture Minister Shivaraja Singh Chouhan on Sunday urged all states and union territories to take immediate and stringent action against the sale of counterfeit and substandard fertilisers In a letter to the chief ministers, Chouhan asked them to regularly monitor fertiliser production and sales, besides conducting sampling and testing of counterfeit and substandard products."Forced tagging of nano-fertilisers or bio-stimulant products, along with conventional fertilisers, should be stopped immediately," he legal action, including cancellation of licenses and registration of FIRs, should be taken against culprits, and effective prosecution must be ensured to secure a conviction, he have been directed to develop feedback and information systems to involve farmers and farmer groups in the monitoring process and make special efforts to educate farmers on identifying genuine and counterfeit minister urged all states to launch a statewide campaign in accordance with the above directions to eliminate the problem of fake and substandard agricultural inputs from its further stated that regular monitoring of this work at the state level would lead to an effective and sustainable solution in the interest of emphasised the need to provide quality fertilisers at the right time, at affordable prices, and of standard quality, as agriculture is the backbone of India's economy."This letter has been issued with the objective of curbing the sale of fake fertilisers, black marketing of subsidised fertilisers, and illegal activities, such as forced tagging across the country," according to an official Union Minister also highlighted that the sale of counterfeit or substandard fertilisers is prohibited under the Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985, which falls under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
