INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Farmers are not getting their dues from sugar mill owners as they have surplus sugar stock.The government on Wednesday approved a subsidy of
Rs 3,500 crore to sugar mills for the export of 60 lakh tonnes of sweetener during the ongoing marketing year 2020-21 as part of its efforts
to help them clear outstanding dues to sugarcane farmers.Briefing media after the meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash
Javadekar said the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore on exports of 60 lakh tonnes of
sweetener and the subsidy amount will directly be given to farmers.The CCEA has approved the subsidy at the rate of Rs 6 per kg for the
current year, much lower than about Rs 10.50 per kg in the 2019-20 marketing year keeping in view favourable international prices.Javadekar
This year too, production is expected to be 310 lakh tonnes as against the annual demand of 260 lakh tonnes.The decision will benefit five
crore farmers and 500,000 workers employed in sugar mills and related ancillary activities
Sugar mills will be able to earn Rs 18,000 crore revenue from the export, said Javadekar, who is also union environment minister.In a
separate statement, the food ministry said farmers sell their sugarcane to sugar mills, however, farmers are not getting their dues from
This will enable payment of dues of the sugarcane farmers
on behalf of sugar mills against cane price dues and subsequent balance, if any, would be credited to mill's account, it added.
