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Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bihar government has reiterated its commitment to give a boost to the sugar industry.
Addressing India-International SugarCon, 2011, organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in collaboration with the state sugarcane industries department, Sugarcane industries minister Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha on Monday assured sugar mill owners and sugarcane growers of the commitment to provide incentives to attract investments for production of sugar in the state.
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Stating that Bihar has abundant water which can be used to increase sugarcane production he appealed to the investors to take advantage of the situation by setting up new sugar mills in the state.
Kushwaha said sugarcane production could be enhanced by using modern sugarcane farming technique.
He said that sometime back the state’s contribution to national sugarcane production was 25%, which has come down to as low as two per cent now.
Speaking on the occasion the Principal Secretary Sugarcane Industries C K Mishra said sugar mill owners would have to invest more in setting up mills in the state. The state government is ready with incentive schemes to support them.
Bihar and Uttar Pradesh Sugar Mills Association president C B Patodia said that the future of sugar industries is in dark because its prices are controlled by the Central and state governments. The mills can produce sugar but they cannot sell it without the Centre’s release order. Moreover, 10% of the produce has to be given for the public distribution shops at rates 40% less than the cost of production. Such an arrangement hits mills’ capacity to pay farmers, he added.
ICC director general Rajeev Singh blamed the present crisis in the sugar industries to low margin of profits.
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