Private sugar factories released ₹19,364 crore to sugarcane growers in the 2021-22 crushing season and efforts will be made to get the pending ₹381.72 crore released, Sugar Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa said on Thursday.
A total of 24 sugar factories had not paid ₹381.72 crore as on May 31, 2022, and legal action would be taken against the management of the factories if they failed to release it in the next few days, he warned.
“Factories have paid 99% of the amount to farmers for purchase of sugarcane. Only 1% needs to be paid,” he said.
About 6.22 lakh crore tonnes of sugarcane had been crushed and 59 lakh tonnes of sugar was produced by factories during 2021-22, he said.
While some factories paid ₹3,500 for a tonne of sugarcane, others paid more than ₹3,100 a tonne, depending on the sugar yield, he said.
Mr. Munenakoppa said the department had set up a committee to draft an ethanol policy. Steps had been taken to revive sick sugar factories located in Pandavapura, Mandya, and Bagalkot.
