Maharashtra’s State Co-operative Minister Dilip Walse-Patil recently said that the situation in the upcoming sugar season would be critical, owing to delayed monsoon and water stock in the dams.
Speaking at the Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) in Pune, Walse-Patil said that in the last season, sugar mills in Maharashtra recorded less crushing compared to the earlier season and produced less sugar. “The upcoming season is likely to be similar. There was hardly any rain in June and July and the water levels in the dams is not healthy. The government is planning water distribution schedule based on the availability of water” said the minister.
At least 210 sugar mills produced 1,053.17 lakh quintals of sugar in 2022-23 as compared to 1,373 lakh quintals in the previous year.
He added that the State government was keeping a close watch on the developments and coordinating with the sugar mills. The minister added that the State government was also consulting all the sugar bodies and planning to submit the proposal to the Union government to hike MSP for the sugar.