Production target likely to fail

Production targets of two state-run sugar mills in the district may not be achieved due to illegal crushing of sugarcane with power crushers in mill zone areas and possible shortage of sugarcane.

Natore Sugar Mills (NSM) Managing Director (MD) Md Shahid Ullah said around 250 power crushers in the area are operating illegally, violating the Sugar Crushing Ordinance 1956.

The target fixed for NSM was 12,400 tonnes of sugar from 1.6 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, but it may not be achieved due to possible shortage of sugarcane, he said.

"We are hopeful of producing 9,000 tonnes of sugar by crushing 1.32 tonnes of sugarcane this year," he added.

North Bengal Sugar Mills (NBSM) Managing Director Engineer Md Mizanur Rahman said the production target of the mill may not be achieved this year because of possible sugarcane shortage and illegal power crushing.

The rate of sugarcane yield has been decreasing and it is around eight to 10 tonnes per acre now, while it was around 16 tonnes to 20 tonnes per acre three or four years ago, he added.

If the sugarcane growers continue crushing by power crushers in the mill zone areas, the sugar mills will have to shut down, Mizan said.

Bangladesh Sugar Mills Cane Growers' Federation Organising Secretary Principal Ibrahim Khalil said the Sugar Crushing Ordinance of 1956 is a black law which was made by the Pakistan government.

"Sugarcane crushing is a right of a grower and we are continuing the operation of power crushers in the two sugar mill areas,” he added.

Ibrahim, also President of North Bengal Sugar Mill Cane Growers' Association, said there are around 600 power crushers operating in the NBSM zone and around 250 in the NSM zone.

"Sugar mills are not getting sugarcane due to their mismanagement and corruption. Growers do not get their money in due time due to delays in the online banking system," Ibrahim said.

The power crushers are crushing around 3,400 tonnes of sugarcane per day with 850 power crushers in two sugarcane zones, while the sugar mills are crushing about 3,200 tonnes per days, he added.

Alauddin Ahmed, a sugarcane grower of Majhdigha village in Sadar upazila, said crushing of sugarcane by power crushers is not profitable this year.

Mohammad Ali, another grower of the same area, said he sold eight tonnes of sugarcane to NSM one month ago, but he is yet to get the money. "I have no way of crushing sugarcane with power crushers as I am a very poor farmer and I need money now to cultivate other crops and maintain my family,” he added.

Denying the allegation of corruption, MD of NSM said they cannot pay the money to the growers due to delays in online banking and very little sale of sugar this season.