Sugarcane farmers happy as Indushankar pays within week

By Our Correspondent,Sarlahi, Jan. 8: Farmers are happy after the Indushankar Sugar Mills in Harion, Sarlahi paid the farmers within seven days of the sugarcane sale.

Indushankar, which has been paying on time compared to other sugar mills in Sarlahi and other parts of the country, is depositing money into the farmers' bank accounts within a week of the sugarcane purchase this year. 

Surendra Raya, farmer from Pipariya of Kawilasi Municipality-2, expressed happiness that he is receiving payment from the Indushankar Sugar Mills timely. 

He said that the farmers in this area, including himself, are happy to receive payment on time.

Although the Mahalaxmi Sugar Mill in Bagdah and the Annapurna Sugar Mills in Dhankaul in Sarlahi are in operation, farmers are willing to sale their sugarcane to Indushankar in Harion every year due to payment problems. 

However, due to the shortage of sugarcane this year, there is a lot of competition among sugarcane industries to increase crushing and they paid farmers on time, said Kapil Muni Mainali, president of the Federation of Sugarcane Producers’ Association.

Thakur Nepal, administrative manager of Indushankar Sugar Mills, said that although it was agreed with the farmers to pay within a month, the industry is paying within a week. 

The industry has purchased 617,200 quintals of sugarcane from farmers and crushed it by January 5, 2025. He said that that factory has already paid Rs. 280 million for sugarcane purchase from farmers by January 1, 2025.

According to Nepal, Indushankar is providing improved seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides to increase sugarcane production, as well as conducting training and seminars as an incentive campaign.

The industry has been paying sugarcane farmers at a rate of Rs. 585 per quintal as per the price fixed by the government. 

This year, the price of sugarcane has been fixed at Rs. 655 per quintal, with the sugar mill providing Rs. 585 and the government providing Rs. 70 as subsidy.