Dehradun, Uttarakhand: The Minister for Cane Development and the Sugar Industry, Saurabh Bahuguna, led a meeting with officials to finalise arrangements for the next sugarcane harvest season, set to begin soon. He directed officials to ensure that farmers face no inconvenience once the season begins.
Bahuguna instructed sugar mills to draw up an action plan to meet their production targets and to complete all repair and maintenance work by October 31, ahead of the start of crushing operations. He announced that the Nadehi and Bajpur sugar mills would begin their season in the first week of November, while the Kichha and Doiwala mills would start operations between the second and third week of the month, reported Garhwal Post.
The Minister asked mill managements to make sure that all facilities and services required by farmers are ready well before the season starts. He also emphasized that mills should aim to make at least 65 percent of cane price payments from their own funds during the 2025–26 season, reducing dependence on state financial support.
Bahuguna directed officials to ensure an adequate supply of sugarcane relative to each mill’s crushing capacity and to maintain machinery properly to avoid technical disruptions. He further instructed all mills to review on-site facilities such as accommodation, toilets, drinking water, and tyre repair services for farmers.
He added that seminars should be held to address farmers’ concerns quickly and directed officials to submit a detailed report within a week on all kohlus (traditional cane crushers) operating across the state.
