CH NEWS, MANDYA
Sugar factory managements must prioritize cultivators’ interests, clear pending financial arrears, and build transparency across harvesting, weighing, and transportation systems, stated Deputy Commissioner Dr. Kumar on Tuesday.
Presiding over a multi-stakeholder conciliation meeting at the Deputy Commissioner’s office attended by sugarcane growers’ unions, mill managements, and lorry operators Dr. Kumar reviewed operational protocols ahead of the 2026–27 crushing season. He noted that the Central Government has determined the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) at ₹365 per quintal (₹3,650 per tonne).
Addressing key objections raised by grower associations regarding excessive deductions, Dr. Kumar stressed that the financial overhead of transporting harvested cane from field to factory must not be unilaterally transferred onto cultivators. He directed administrative authorities to scientifically determine transit tariffs in strict compliance with statutory regulations.
Underlining mutual interdependence, Dr. Kumar remarked that sugar factories generate substantial supplementary revenue from ethanol, molasses, bagasse, and co-generated power, which obligates them to protect the economic security of primary growers. He instructed mill operators to strictly prioritize cane procurement from farmers registered within their allocated ‘reserve areas’ based on crop maturity and registration seniority, eliminating artificial delays at factory gates.
Highlighting the financial distress caused by payment delays, the Deputy Commissioner issued clear instructions to all operational mills across Mandya district to expedite the settlement of outstanding dues within prescribed statutory timelines.
To address persistent allegations of weighbridge manipulation, the district administration instructed the Department of Legal Metrology to conduct surprise inspections at factory weighbridges. Dr. Kumar stressed that verified, digital weight slips must be issued to eliminate discrepancies.
Farmer leaders at the meeting reiterated demands for immediate clearance of arrears, scientific transport slab determinations, and strict enforcement of reserve-area quotas. Joint Director of Agriculture Jayaswamy and Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies Prateek Hegde attended the discussions alongside mill directors and transport representatives.
