No additional wheat imports, incentives for sugar industry on card

New Delhi, Sept 19 (UNI) The Government today said it will not import additional wheat as the country has sufficient stocks and it would also shortly announce incentives for sugar industry to maintain the tempo of sugar production in the country.

Stating this at Assocham organised Fifth Knowledge Millennium Summit here, Minister for Agriculture that the Group of Ministers (GoM) has recommended to allow direct production of ethanol from sugar juice.

The Agriculture Ministry in next 10-12 days will move a cabinet note to this effect so that direct production of ethanol from sugar juice is notified, said the Minister.

Mr Pawar informed that ''Whatever wheat imports had to take place, has been done and now wheat godowns are full and for next wheat session, the government intends its procurement price to over Rs 1,000 so that farmers gets reasonable rates for their wheat production.'' He also added that since sugar production is picking up and which leads to a lowering of sugar prices. Therefore the government intends to announce certain tax benefits to sugar industry to give it a relief so that the production levels are maintained.

The Minister, however, clarified that incentives and tax benefits would be accorded only to those sugar producers who have cleared farmers dues for sugar procurement.

The Minister sought applications of bio-nano technology for higher wheat and other grains production so that these are produced organically with lesser consumption of water and fertilisers.

UNI