Sugarcane turned bitter for thousands of farmers in North Andhra districts

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Lack of adequate sugarcane for crushing, continuous losses, and absence of new technology for the production of ethanol and other allied products led to the closure of Sri Vijayarama Gajapathi Cooperative Sugar Factory located in Bhimasingi of Jami Mandal of Vizianagaram district. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Farmers are likely to stay away from sugarcane crops from next year, due to the closure of three sugar factories and another one on the verge of closure in North Andhra districts such as Vizianagaram, Parvatipuram and Srikakulam districts.

The farmers used to grow sugarcane in 35000 acres till about a few years ago in Vizianagaram district. Now, it has been reduced to 3500 acres. The crop area, which was around 50,000 acres in Srikakulam district got reduced to 5000 acres. The farmers are likely to shift to other crops from next Rabi season with the closure of operations in all four sugar factories.

Lack of adequate sugarcane for crushing, continuous losses, absence of new technology for the production of ethanol and other allied products led to the closure of Sri Vijayarama Gajapathi Cooperative Sugar Factory located in Bhimasingi of Jami Mandal of Vizianagaram district. Bhimasingi sugar factory, which was established in the year 1960, closed its operations in the year 2019. Another important cooperative sugar factory located at Latchayyapeta of Seethanagaram mandal of Parvatipuram district was established in the year 1995 and was operated by NCS Group between 2002 and 2020. Due to continuous losses, the company stopped crushing five years ago.

Amadalavalasa sugar factory of Srikakulam district, established in the year 1953, stopped its operations in the year 2003. The issue of reviving the factory was an election issue every five years, but its reopening remained only on paper. Although those three sugar factories closed their operations, the private sugar factory located near Sankili of Regidi Amadalavalasa of Vizianagaram district provided much-needed relief for sugarcane farmers with its continuous operations in the last two decades. The company E.I.D.Parry India Limited informed the farmers that it might not take up crushing from next season.

Sankili Chakkera Parisrama Parirakshana Samithi President Buditi Appala Naidu submitted a memorandum to Vizianagaram Joint Collector S.Sedhu Madhavan, requesting the government to take steps for the protection of the factory, since thousands of families depended on the factory, which provided direct and indirect employment. Lok Satta Party State President Bhisetti Babji met Minister for MSME Kondapalli Srinivas and Collector S.Ramsundar Reddy for the modernisation of the Bhimasingi sugar factory. “Closure of agro-based industries will stop economic activity in hundreds of villages located in and around the factory. In the absence of other major industries, the government should take steps for the revival of all sugar factories,” said Mr.Babji.

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