Uncertainty continues over the much-expected revival of the NPKRR Cooperative Sugar Mill at Thalainayar near Vaitheeswaran Koil in Mayiladuthurai district in the absence of any formal announcement by the State government on the defunct unit in the recent Agriculture Budget.
Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare M.R.K. Panneerselvam said in his speech while presenting the Agriculture Budget for 2024-25 that 13 cooperative, two public, and 15 private sugar mills have been functioning in the State. He said the State government would launch a scheme to modernise weighbridges, hydraulic tipplers, cane yards, and machinery to improve the efficiency of sugar mills.
However, there was no formal announcement on the much-expected revival of the NPKRR Sugar Mill at Thalainayar in Mayiladuthurai district. Last year, the Minister announced that the State government would take steps to revive the sugar mill.
An expert committee was formed with senior officials from the Department of Sugar to explore the possibilities of reviving the operation of the sugar mill where crushing was discontinued in 2016 because of technical issues in the production process. Since then, sugarcane growers of Mayiladuthurai district have been selling their produce to the sugar mills in Cuddalore and Thanjavur districts.
The expert committee members and officers from the district administration inspected the sugar mill in February last year and submitted a report to the State government. The official sources hinted that there were bright chances that the sugar mill would be revived.
Sugarcane growers and farmers’ organisations, who have been consistently demanding the revival of the sugar mill, are waiting for an affirmative response from the State government. According to official sources, the expert committee report is under the consideration of the Department of Sugar. After scrutiny, the State government may announce its decision.
