BIJNOR: The cane crushing season has ended but still 119 sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh owe more than Rs 7,000 crore to 45 lakh farmers, who now facing resource crunch to take care of the other crops they have sown after the cane harvest. Increasing prices of diesel is also a big concern for cane farmers as they use generators to irrigate their land and tractors for tilling and transporting their produce.
According to data available with the cane department, sugar mills in the state have crushed around 10,148 lakh quintal sugarcane this year, and mills have paid 80% of the total dues to farmers. An official, on the condition of anonymity, told TOI that 20% of the dues are still pending, which amounts to over Rs 7,000 crore, leaving the farmers in the lurch.
