The West Indian Sugar Mills Association (WISMA) has raised concerns about significant losses to the sugar industry if the Maharashtra government delays the start of the sugarcane crushing season until November 25, instead of the previously scheduled November 15.
B.B. Thombare, President of WISMA, urged the sugar commissioner to adhere to the original start date, highlighting that the demand for a postponement by ten days—allegedly due to upcoming state elections—has been circulating in both traditional and social media.
“Already the crushing season has been delayed. We had requested the government to allow mills to begin crushing as early as November 5. However, the ministerial committee has decided to start the season on November 15,” Thombare stated. He noted that this delay has left sugar mill workers and the entire administrative setup idle, with sugarcane cutters and transport operators losing income over the past 15 days. Additionally, farmers are awaiting the harvesting of their sugarcane.
Thombare warned that any further delay in government approval for sugarcane crushing could severely impact all stakeholders involved in the industry.
WISMA also pointed out that neighboring states like Karnataka, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh have already commenced their sugarcane seasons between November 10 and 15. As a result, sugarcane cutters from Maharashtra are beginning to migrate to these states, leading to concerns over a shortage of labor for the sugarcane industry in Maharashtra.