Maharashtra to provide full cooperation to sugar industry for the procurement of harvesters, says CM Eknath shinde

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Saturday that the state government will provide full cooperation for the purchase of nearly 900 harvesters, which will be a huge relief to the sugar industry, especially during the ongoing crushing season.

The industry made the demand, especially in the wake of constraints on the availability of sugarcane-cutting farmers and also due to the shortage and the high cost of the harvesters.

Shinde was speaking at the 46th annual general meeting of the Pune-based Vasantdada Sugar Institute, which is a leading organisation engaged in the research and development of sugarcane.

"The government has always supported the sugar mills." The government will work to remove the problems in the future as well. Because the sugar industry supports lakhs of farmers, it must thrive and thrive."The government has tried to solve the basic problems of the farmers along with the sugar industry," said CM Shinde.

"While solving the problems of the farmers, 18 irrigation projects are being launched that will help irrigate more than 2.5 lakh hectares of land." The state government has deposited  2,500 crores in the bank accounts of 7.19 lakh farmers as an incentive subsidy of  50,000 to farmers who repay their loans regularly. In addition, the state government has also distributed  1,700 crores to 7.20 lakh farmers. Increased assistance is also being given to the farmers affected by excessive rains. "Jalyukt Shivar Yojana has been effectively launched," Shinde added.

The Chief Minister stated that Maharashtra ranks third in the world in sugar production and that the state government will also encourage ethanol production in the state. "The government's strategy is to promote ethanol production, which will boost the sugar industry." "In the state, 106 factories have already started producing ethanol," he noted. He hoped that ethanol would also be produced on a large scale in the crushing season.

Shinde observed that as there is surplus production of sugar in the state, the factories should focus on managing sugar exports and sales of sugar to other states that produce less sugar. He said that the farmers, in addition to sugarcane, should also focus on horticulture development and increase the sowing of cotton and soyabeans. "The state government is trying to increase the use of drip irrigation for the sugarcane." "So it will be possible to provide the sugarcane required by sugar mills in a smaller area and with less water," he noted.