Nearly 91.16 per cent of sugarcane dues have been paid to the farmers till July 17 for the current sugar season, according to a reply in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

In a written reply, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, said the Centre had taken various steps in the form of policy interventions from time to time as and when required with a view to facilitating payments of outstanding dues to the sugarcane farmers.

Highlighting various policy interventions, she said: “As a result of these measures, about 99.9 per cent of cane dues up to sugar seasons 2020-21 have been cleared. For the previous sugar season 2021-22, more than 99.9 per cent cane dues have been cleared, and in the current sugar season 2022-23, about 91.6 per cent cane dues are cleared as on July 17.”

For the current sugar season 2022-23 (October-September), sugarcane growers have been paid ₹1.03 lakh crore of the total payable of ₹1.13 lakh crore.

Of the remaining arrears of ₹9,499 crore, an amount of ₹6,315 crore is pending for farmers in Uttar Pradesh, ₹1,651 crore for farmers in Gujarat, and ₹631 crore for farmers in Maharashtra.

The minister said powers have been delegated and vested with the State governments and union territories for regularly monitoring the cane price payment position of sugar factories. In case of delay in payments, they take suitable action, she added.

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