Chandigarh, August 18

Sugarfed chairman Amrik Singh Aliwal today said the state cooperative sugar mills would clear dues of cane growers by the first week of September.

The chairman further pointed out that nine cooperative sugar mills in the state had already released a sum of Rs 486.24 crore for 2019-20 while a sum of Rs 417.33 crore out of Rs 472.10 crore had been paid for 2020-21. The Finance Department has sanctioned the release of Rs 45 crore out of the balance Rs 54.77 crore which would be paid by the first week of September to the growers.

Aliwal said the Union Government had withheld the export subsidy and buffer stock subsidy to the tune of Rs 9.77 crore of the cooperative sugar mills pertaining to the year 2019-20, which explained why the department concerned was being approached. The amount was expected to be released soon.

As per directions of the Centre, payment for sugarcane is credited directly into the accounts of the growers, he said. — TNS