Ponda: The Sugarcane Farmers’ Facilitation Committee, headed by former MP Narendra Sawaikar, on Monday submitted its preliminary report to chief minister Pramod Sawant. The report has suggested immediate action to start operations at the Sanjivani sugar factory at Dharbandora.
It has suggested hiring of the services of Deccan Sugar Technology Association, Pune, to decide whether the factory could be modernised with available minimum resources or a new plant is needed.
Committee members Ramesh Tawadkar, Subhash Faldessai, Aitin Mascarenhas, Harshad Prabhudesai and Satish Tendulkar were also present.
Sawaikar said they have also suggested to the government to think over the possibility of producing ethanol as well in the factory, so that the unit can run for at least 300 days in a year. During some crushing seasons in the recent past, the factory could not run for around 100 days.
“Considering the state does not produce the required quantity of canes to produce ethanol, we have suggested that the molasses or cane syrup be imported from other countries,” Sawaikar told TOI.
Services of expert organisations like Deccan Sugar Technology Association, Pune, and Jaggery Research Station, Sankeshwar, be engaged to study the technical feasibility for new emerging concepts like ethanol and organic jaggery production so that sugarcane cultivation can be more profitable, Sawaikar said.
The report has also suggested that the agriculture department be entrusted with the work to strengthen the agricultural wing of the sugar factory. Seed cum demonstration plot of high yielding varieties of sugarcane of Sanjivani sugar factory be developed immediately, so that by October or November next year seed can be made available to existing and prospective sugarcane growers.
During the discussion, the chief minister assured that an amount of Rs 600 per tonne towards harvesting cost will be disbursed to farmers shortly. Further, the government has already initiated steps like assessment of sugarcane for payment of compensation and the same will be paid to sugarcane growers, Sawaikar said.
It has suggested hiring of the services of Deccan Sugar Technology Association, Pune, to decide whether the factory could be modernised with available minimum resources or a new plant is needed.
Committee members Ramesh Tawadkar, Subhash Faldessai, Aitin Mascarenhas, Harshad Prabhudesai and Satish Tendulkar were also present.
Sawaikar said they have also suggested to the government to think over the possibility of producing ethanol as well in the factory, so that the unit can run for at least 300 days in a year. During some crushing seasons in the recent past, the factory could not run for around 100 days.
“Considering the state does not produce the required quantity of canes to produce ethanol, we have suggested that the molasses or cane syrup be imported from other countries,” Sawaikar told TOI.
Services of expert organisations like Deccan Sugar Technology Association, Pune, and Jaggery Research Station, Sankeshwar, be engaged to study the technical feasibility for new emerging concepts like ethanol and organic jaggery production so that sugarcane cultivation can be more profitable, Sawaikar said.
The report has also suggested that the agriculture department be entrusted with the work to strengthen the agricultural wing of the sugar factory. Seed cum demonstration plot of high yielding varieties of sugarcane of Sanjivani sugar factory be developed immediately, so that by October or November next year seed can be made available to existing and prospective sugarcane growers.
During the discussion, the chief minister assured that an amount of Rs 600 per tonne towards harvesting cost will be disbursed to farmers shortly. Further, the government has already initiated steps like assessment of sugarcane for payment of compensation and the same will be paid to sugarcane growers, Sawaikar said.
