Sugar surplus may drop due to U.P. rains, higher ethanol capacity
The Hindu
Lower surplus, higher prices could help reduce arrears to farmers in poll bound U.P. and Punjab
Unseasonal rains in Uttar Pradesh and a higher diversion to ethanol production are likely to result in a drop in sugar production this year, according to industry estimates. With average retail sugar prices also on the rise, a reduction in surplus sugar could help speed up cane payments by mills and reduce their pending arrears to farmers this season.
Late payments and arrears have become a political flashpoint recently, especially in the poll-bound States of U.P. and Punjab. At the end of July, when the latest data is available, arrears to farmers stood at ₹2,417 crore.
Retail sugar prices are up 5% in comparison to last year. Delhi alone has seen retail prices spike over 13% in the last three months, according to monitoring by the Consumer Affairs Department.
The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.