Amritsar: The 2025–26 crushing season has begun at the Ajnala Cooperative Sugar Mill in Bhala village of the Ajnala border sub-division, marking an important phase for the region’s farming economy. The mill has fixed a target of crushing around 21 lakh quintal of sugarcane during the current season, reports The Tribune.
According to the mill management, about 2.50 lakh quintal of sugarcane has already been crushed. Payments for cane supplied by farmers up to December 1 have been transferred directly to their bank accounts. The management has assured growers that payments for future supplies will also be made on time through bank transfers.
General Manager Rajinder Pratap Singh said the mill has a daily crushing capacity of 25,000 quintal. He added that crushing operations are running smoothly and that efficient arrangements have ensured farmers do not face any difficulty while supplying cane.
Farmers have expressed satisfaction with the process, noting that they are able to return to their villages within four to six hours after delivering sugarcane to the mill. Singh said he remains in regular contact with growers and continues to encourage them to bring their produce to the mill.
During meetings with mill officials, farmers and village representatives pointed out that sugarcane arrivals are currently low due to a temporary shortage of labour. However, they said the situation is expected to normalise within the next three to four days, allowing the mill to operate at full capacity.
The mill management stated that as a cooperative institution owned by farmers, the Ajnala Cooperative Sugar Mill understands the problems faced by growers, especially in transporting sugarcane. The General Manager and the Chief Sugarcane Development Officer jointly appealed to farmers to supply clean, timely harvested and bagasse-free sugarcane to help improve sugar recovery and ensure smooth operations throughout the crushing season.
