Saraswati Sugar Mills in Yamunanagar likely to start on Nov 8
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Yamunanagar, October 31
The crushing operation of Saraswati Sugar Mills (SSM), Yamunanagar, is expected to start on November 8, one week earlier than last year.
This decision will bring major relief to farmers, especially with small holdings, who will sow wheat crop after harvesting sugarcane crop.
However, the bad condition of roads may pose a major threat to the smooth movement of cane-loaded vehicles of the farmers.
Farmers will sow wheat crop NEXT
- This decision will bring major relief to farmers, especially with small holdings, who will sow wheat crop after harvesting sugarcane crop
- Farmers are expected to sow wheat crop on about 25,000 acres after harvesting sugarcane crop
- With a crushing capacity of more than one lakh quintal every day, the sugar mill is one of the largest in the country
In the past two seasons, the mill started crushing operations on November 16 in 2021, and November 24 in 2020. According to information, this year about 22,000 farmers of 672 villages cultivated sugarcane crop on 97,000 acres that falls under the command area of the mill, covering the Yamunanagar district and, parts of Ambala and Kurukshetra districts.
As per available information, the farmers are expected to sow the wheat crop on about 25,000 acres after harvesting the sugarcane crop falling under the sugar mill area.
With the decision to start operations of the mill ahead of the time, the sugarcane farmers associated with the mill are happy.
“A number of farmers are able to sow the wheat crop only after harvesting of the sugarcane crop from their fields. This year, the crushing operation of the mill is going to start one week earlier than last year. As a result of which, the farmers will be able to vacate their cane fields early for the sowing of wheat,” said Subhash Chand, a farmer of Marwa Kalan village.
With a crushing capacity of more than one lakh quintal every day, the sugar mill is one of the largest in the country. DP Singh, senior vice-president (cane) of SSM, said the pre-start preparedness, including steam trials, had been conducted successfully.
He said the plant was ready in all respects to start the crushing operation, which was expected to start on November 8.
“The SSM had crushed 162 lakh quintal of sugarcane last year. However, they have set a target of crushing 175 lakh quintal of sugarcane this year,” said DP Singh.
He added that in the last crushing season, the SSM paid Rs 587 crore to the sugarcane farmers and there was no pending payment towards the sugar mill.
The poor condition of roads is haunting the farmers as they will face difficulty in supplying sugarcane.
“The bad condition of several roads, particularly in Radaur town, from Jorian Naka to Vishwakarma Chowk and Jagadhri bus stand to Vishwakarma Chowk will pose a major threat to cane-loaded vehicles. Therefore, the local administration should complete the repair work of the damaged roads before the start of the sugar mill,” said a farmer, Brijesh Kumar.