New Delhi: The sugarcane crushing season in Maharashtra this year will begin on October 15 as decided by the state government's ministerial committee chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday.
The meeting was held at the Sahyadri Guest House to finalise the policy for the upcoming sugarcane crushing season.
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Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil, Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane, Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal and senior officials of various departments attended the meeting.
The committee reviewed the availability of sugarcane in the state, crushing plans, sugar production, the price received by farmers for sugarcane and various financial and technical issues faced by sugar mills, an official release issued after the meeting said.
The meeting discussed planning the upcoming crushing season while maintaining a balance between the interests of farmers and the sugar industry.
The review included the 2025-26 crushing season, sugar stocks in the country, pending Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) and Revenue Recovery Certificate (RRC) payments, co-generation projects, ethanol supply, sugarcane area and production, sugar production and preparations for the 2026-27 season.
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It also discussed season-wise FRP and MSP, the policy on deductions made by sugar mills for various government initiatives related to the sugar industry, and deductions towards the Gopinath Munde Sugarcane Workers Welfare Board.
The meeting considered restarting interest subsidy under the soft-loan scheme to help sugar mills clear pending dues.
It also discussed providing a subsidy of Rs 1.50 per unit, on the lines of the 2023-24 season, to sugar mills whose power purchase agreements related to co-generation projects have expired.
The committee considered relaxing the mandatory requirement of using jute bags for sugar packaging and providing financial and technical incentives to compressed biogas (CBG) projects.
A special sugarcane development scheme was also discussed to increase sugarcane production and productivity. It would promote improved sugarcane varieties, nurseries, treatment of sugarcane planting material, drip irrigation, balanced use of chemical and organic fertilisers, modern cultivation methods and mechanisation.
The meeting also discussed issues concerning the sugar industry that are pending with the Centre.
It was proposed to recommend to the Centre an increase in the minimum selling price of sugar, an increase in ethanol prices and immediate release of pending interest subsidies for ethanol projects.
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