With a view to facilitate payments of outstanding dues to the sugarcane farmers, the Central Government has taken various steps. As a result of these measures, about 99.9% of cane dues up to sugar seasons 2020-21 have been cleared. For the previous sugar season 2021-22, more than 99.9% cane dues have been cleared and in the current Sugar Season 2022-23, about 91.6 % cane dues are cleared as on 17.07.2023.
Recent government data shows that sugar mills have made payments of around Rs 103,737 crore to cane farmers. However, Rs 9,499 crore worth of dues still remain unpaid in the ongoing season.
According to official figures, the highest cane arrears are owed by millers in Uttar Pradesh, with an outstanding amount of Rs 6,315 crore to be cleared to sugarcane farmers. Meanwhile, Gujarat follows with Rs 1,651 crore in arrears, Maharashtra with Rs 631 crore, and Karnataka with Rs 127 crore.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti said that payment of cane dues to farmers is a continuous process and the outstanding cane arrears are decreasing continuously during last five years.
