UP tops sugar prodn at 57.77 lakh tonnes

Lucknow, Aug 1: Uttar Pradesh, the largest sugar producer in the country has broken all previous records by producing 57.77 lakh tonnes sugar this year.

Ten new sugarmills crushed sugarcane for the first time in the 2005-06 crushing session, besides 22 mills of sugar corporation, 28 of sugarmill federation and 64 sugarmills of private sector.

Together, they produced 35 per cent of total sugar production of the country and came first in the country, official sources today said.

A sum of Rs 18,375 crore has been paid to sugarcane growers from August 29, 2003 to June 30, 2006. Only Rs 11,388 crore was paid during the previous three years period. This payment also includes arrears of previous yrs.

UP announced a hike of Rs 12 per quintal in cane price in crushing session 2004-05 and Rs 8 in 2005-06 keeping in view the larger interest of cane growers.

This way, an increase of Rs 20 per quintal has been made in the cane price during last two yrs.

Following implementation of the state sugar promotion policy, 10 new sugarmills started crushing and capacity of seven old mills also enhanced. Eighteen new sugarmills are also likely to start crushing in the year 2006-07.

About Rs 1,000 crore capital is being invested in the expansion of capcity of old sugarmills, co-power generation and setting-up of ethonol units, besides, Rs 3,730 crore capital is also being invested in setting up new sugarmills.

As a result of these efforts, cane crushing capacity is likely to increase by 1.65 lakh tonnes per day alongwith production of ethonol and 606 MW power generation under co-generation.

With the setting up of these industries, about 30 lakh people will get employment directly while one lakh indirectly.

Meanwhile, two new sugarcane varieties 'Ashok' and 'Shajahan' have been developed and its seeds provided to cane growers.

As a result, about 1,846.51 lakh tonnes sugarcane was produced in the state during crushing session 2005-06, which is maximum in last 10 yrs.

Several sugarcane development schemes have been carried out during last three yrs by spending Rs 34.10 crore.

One time settlement scheme has also been implemented for encouraging 'khandsari' industry. As a result, 2.64 lakh tonnes 'khandsari' was produced in the last fiscal.

UNI