Indushankar pays Rs. 1.37 billion to sugarcane farmers

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT,Sarlahi, Feb. 28: Indushankar Sugar Industry, located in Hariban of Sarlahi, has paid more than Rs. 1.37 billion to sugarcane farmers. The industry has made a payment of Rs. 1.37 billion to farmers for the purchase of sugarcane in the current season. 

Industry's administrative manager, Thakur Prasad Nepal, informed that the total amount for all sugarcane sold by farmers to the industry up to February 26 has been transferred to their bank accounts.

Indushankar Sugar Industry has been paying sugarcane farmers within a week this year. According to the industry’s sugarcane manager, Yog Narayan Rajak, the industry has crushed 2.651 million quintals of sugarcane between December 12 and February 26. 

According to Rajak, the industry plans to close operations after crushing sugarcane until mid-March. The industry has set a target to crush 3 million quintals of sugarcane this year. 

Due to a reduction in sugarcane farming, each sugar mill is purchasing sugarcane from farmers in a hurry this year. Because of the low sugarcane production, sugar mills are ensuring timely payments to farmers without delay.

Among the three sugar mills in Sarlahi, farmers have mentioned that Indushankar Sugar Industry in Hariban is known for making timely payments. The Mahalaxmi Sugar Industry in Godaita and the Annapurna Sugar Industry in Bagdaha and Dhankol have also been praised for not causing delays in payments, just like in previous years.

According to the price set by the government, sugar mills are paying farmers Rs. 585 per quintal of sugarcane. The government will add an additional Rs. 70 as a subsidy. 

Despite the mills making prompt payments, uncertainty remains regarding when the farmers will receive the Rs. 70 subsidy from the government, informed Kapilmuni Mainali, the president of the Nepal Sugarcane Producers Association.