Pune:  After one week of start of the crushing season, as many as 27 mills have started operating. The crushing season in the State started on November 22 and licences have been issued to 128 mills while 30 of them are pending over payment of fair and remunerative price (FRP) amounting to Rs 150 crore.

“At present, 27 mills are operating while we have issued licences to 128 mills till today. However, around 30 of them are pending as they have not cleared their FRP. Once these mills clear the compliance and pay 100 per cent FRP, the licences will be issued to them. A total amount of Rs 150 crore FRP is remaining for these 30 mills,” said Shekhar Gaikwad, State Sugar Commissioner. He said around 163 sugar mills have applied for the licence.

During the President’s rule in the State, the crushing date was decided by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
 
However, usually a committee headed by the chief minister decides the crushing date. 

As per the sugar commissionerate, a total of 580 lakh tonnes of sugarcane will be crushed and estimated sugar production will be 58 lakh tonnes for the year 2019-2020.  This is 49 lakh tonnes less than last year as Maharashtra registered record sugar production of 107.2 lakh tonnes for the year 2018-2019.