Coop sugar mill back in business after 2-year gap

  • | Monday | 1st April, 2019

“The government should also ensure that the farmers are getting paid soon after the harvest. “This helped the mill to provide wages to the employees. As such, the mill didn’t see any crushing activity. Also, all pending dues should be cleared immediately.” Both the farmers and employees of the mill were hit badly because of this,” said P Mahalingam, secretary, Employees union affiliated to Labour Progressive Federation.The mill, however, produced alcoholic spirit during the period by procuring molasses from other cooperative sugar mills.

TIRUPUR: Amaravathi cooperative sugar mills at Krishnapuram here is buzzing with activities after a two years’ gap - it has signed agreements with farmers to crush 1.35 lakh tonnes of sugarcane this season.The mill, which usually signs agreements with the sugarcane farmers in Tirupur and Dindigul districts, has this season struck deals with the peasants in Komaralingam, Kaniyur, Neikarapatti, Palani, Dharapuram and Palladam, who together cultivate sugarcane across 3,450 acres land.The mill has a capacity to crush 1,200-1,500 tonnes sugarcane a day. The crushing operation, which commenced on March 30, is expected to go on for the next five to six months.“Due to drought, sugarcane cultivation was a failure in the region in the last two seasons. As such, the mill didn’t see any crushing activity. Both the farmers and employees of the mill were hit badly because of this,” said P Mahalingam, secretary, Employees union affiliated to Labour Progressive Federation.The mill, however, produced alcoholic spirit during the period by procuring molasses from other cooperative sugar mills. “This helped the mill to provide wages to the employees. Now that the crushing has commenced, things will soon revert to normal,” said a senior official with the mill.The official said the farmers would be paid around Rs 2,800 per ton, inclusive of incentives given by the state government that is yet to be fixed for this season.M Eswaran, district president, Katchi Sarbatra Vivasaigal Sangam, meanwhile, called on the state government to hike the procurement price. “The government should also ensure that the farmers are getting paid soon after the harvest. Also, all pending dues should be cleared immediately.”

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