Sugarcane farmers in dilemma about crop cultivation in Telangana’s Mutyampet

The dilemma is because there is no clarity from the government on the reopening of Nizam’s sugar factory, which was closed nine years ago

JAGTIAL: Sugarcane farmers are in dilemma whether to cultivate the crop or not since there is no clarity on the reopening of Nizam’s sugar factory in Mutyampet.

If the crop has to be ready for the crushing season usually held in the month of December, farmers have to start sowing now since sugarcane was a long-term crop.

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However, there was no clarity from the government side about the reopening of the factory, which was closed nine years ago. Farmers, who shifted to other crops especially paddy, were unable to take a decision whether to come back to sugarcane.

Besides Mutyampet, two other units Bodhan of Nizamabad and Munjojupalli of Medak of Nizam Deccan Sugars Limited were closed by announcing lay-off on December 23, 2015.

The Congress party, which promised to reopen sugar factories during the 2023 Assembly elections, constituted a cabinet sub-committee under the supervision of IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu to look into the issue after coming to power. Committee members visited the factory and got opinions by interacting with farmers. A report was also submitted to the government. Based on the report, the government cleared bank loans under one time settlement.

The State government has decided to reopen the unit by the next crushing season (December). However, neither repair works of existing machinery nor installation of new machinery has started so far. Moreover, the government has not allocated any amount for these works.

Sugarcane is the important raw material to run the factory. However, there is a dilemma among the farmers whether to cultivate the crop since no repair works have yet to start.

Speaking to Telangana Today, a sugarcane farmer, K Rejireddy said that almost all sugarcane farmers shifted to other crops after the closure of the unit. Farmers have to cultivate sugarcane by putting an end to other crops. If the factory was not reopened by the crushing season, they would have to face severe hardships.

So, the government should clarify doubts by conducting awareness programmes with farmers. In order to enhance the cultivation area, the government should encourage farmers by providing subsidies and supplying best quality seeds besides entering agreements with farmers.

Established in 1937, Nizam Deccan Sugars Limited has three units including Shakkarnagar of Bodhan, Mutyampet of Jagtial and Munjojupalli of Medak.

In 2002, all the three units were privatised on the pretext of losses. While Delta Paper Mills purchased 51 percent share, the state government had the remaining 49 percent.

As the losses were not overcome, the units were closed by announcing lay-off on December 23, 2015.

Farmers, who used to cultivate sugarcane, shifted to other crops. As a result, the sowing area of the crop has come down 1,200 to 1,500 from 10,000 to 15,000 in Mutyampet unit limits. About 2.50 lakh tons of sugarcane used to crush in a crushing season in the factory.