PUNE: As the sugarcane crushing season started in the State, 80 mills have started their operations and around 27.98 LMT of sugarcane has been crushed till now. 

However, the total crushing licences issued were 146, while 17 are still pending. The crushing season in the State began on November 22 after  Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari gave the dates as the State then was under the President’s rule owing to a political stalemate. However, the crushing season every year is decided by a committee chaired by the CM.

According to the State Sugar Commissionerate, as on December 4, 80 sugar mills have begun their operations. Out of these, 45 are cooperative and 35 are private. The total amount of sugarcane crushed is 27.98 LMT and sugar produced is 22.39 lakh quintal with a recovery of 8 per cent. 

The estimated data for the crushing season 2019-2020 is that a total of 580 lakh tonnes of sugarcane will be crushed and the estimated sugar production will be 58 lakh tonnes. The total licenses issued till now are 146 (cooperative-69 and private-77), while 17 licences that are pending.