Lok Sabha Question No. 5241 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: Assistance to Sugarcane Farmers
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Appalanaidu Kalisetti

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5241

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 2ND APRIL, 2025

## ASSISTANCE TO SUGARCANE FARMERS

## 5241. SHRI APPALANAIDU KALISETTI:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to  state:

- (a) the total area under sugarcane cultivation  in Andhra  Pradesh during  the last five  years along with the figures of production and yield per hectare;
- (b) the number of  operational sugar mills  in  the State along with  the details of mills  that have shut down in recent years and the reasons for their closure;
- (c) the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) and State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane in Andhra Pradesh during  the last five  years and whether  there have been any delays in payments to farmers;
- (d) the status of  ethanol production  from  sugarcane in  the  State including  the Government support, if  any, for ethanol blending and infrastructure development;
- (e) the challenges faced by sugarcane farmers including water availability, rising input costs, climate impact and marketing constraints; and
- (f) the details of  pending financial  assistance and subsidies along with  the relief  measures provided to sugarcane farmers and sugar mills in Andhra Pradesh including outstanding dues, if any?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIM ATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The information  is at Annexure I.
- (b): in  Andhra  Pradesh, out  of  total  29  sugar mills,  5  sugar mills  are operational during current Sugar Season 2024-25 (Oct -  Sept). Remaining 24 sugar mills  could not take up crushing operations due to non-availability of  sufficient sugarcane, other financial problems etc

- (c): The Fair  and Remunerative Price (FRP) declared by  the Central Government is applicable to the state of Andhra Pradesh, and there is no separate State Advised  Price (SAP) in place. The FRP for  sugarcane over the last five  years and current year is at Annexure  II. Cane payment to  farmers is  a continuous process.  As  reported by  State Govt, cane dues position of the last 5 years and current year is as under :-

| Sugar Season   | Amount Due (Rs. In crores)   |
|----------------|------------------------------|
| fOI 9-20       | 35,92                        |
| 2020-2 1       | No dues                      |
| 2021 -22       | -No dues                     |
| 2022-23        | No dues                      |
| 2023-24        | ).r6                         |
| 2024-25        | 44.67                        |

(d): Out  of  5 working sugar mills  in  the  State, only  4  sugar mills  are producing  ethanol. Ethanol production during 2023-24 season was 3.43 cr. liters and estimated Ethanol production during 2024-25 is  4.58 cr. Liters.

Further, the Government has notified  various ethanol interest subvention schemes from 2018 to 2022 (in 2021 ethanol production from grain was also included under these schemes) to  encourage  sugar  nlills and  distilleries to  enhance  their  ethanol  production Gapacities.

Under all  these subvention schemes, Government is  facilitating  project proponents to avail loans from banks/financial institutions for which  interest subvention @ 6% or 50% of the interest charged by the banks/financial institutions, whichever is lower, is being borne by the Government for a period of five years including one year moratorium period.

(e): Water availability  is limited  in uplands especially in  north costal districts and Chittoor district. Cost of  cultivation is more in AndI"Ira Pradesh compared to major sugar producing states especially due to high labour cost.

In Andhra Pradesh most of the sugar factories are ]ocated in coastal area. Sugar recovery is low  due to  inadequate  cane crush and climatic  conditions i.e., less diurnal  variation  in the temperatures  between day and night time.

(f): Generally the Sugar mills  in the state of Andhra Pradesh are providing  seed, fertilizers, pesticides, support for  harvesting, transportation and drip  irrigation  td  their  cane gr6wers on subsidy /  free  of  cost /  interest free  basis, depending oIl  their  nnancial  condition.  State Government is  extdnding Enancial assistance to  the cooperative sugar factories whenever necessary .

8888

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN REPLY  TO  PART (a)  OF  THE  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5241 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 02.04.2025 IN THE LOK SABHA

| Statement showing Area under sugarcane cultivation, production and Yield in Andhra Pradesh   | Statement showing Area under sugarcane cultivation, production and Yield in Andhra Pradesh   | Statement showing Area under sugarcane cultivation, production and Yield in Andhra Pradesh   | Statement showing Area under sugarcane cultivation, production and Yield in Andhra Pradesh   | Statement showing Area under sugarcane cultivation, production and Yield in Andhra Pradesh   | Statement showing Area under sugarcane cultivation, production and Yield in Andhra Pradesh   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Particular                                                                                   | 2019-20                                                                                      | 1 2020-21                                                                                    | 1 2021-22                                                                                    | 1 2022-23                                                                                    | 1 2023-24                                                                                    |
| Area (in L Ha)                                                                               | o.86                                                                                         | 1 o.55                                                                                       | o.47E                                                                                        | o.40                                                                                         | 0.27                                                                                         |
| Production (in LMT)                                                                          | 67.24                                                                                        | 1 41.39                                                                                      | 36.45                                                                                        | 1 29.56                                                                                      | 1 22.14                                                                                      |
| Yield (Ton/ Ha)                                                                              | 78.19                                                                                        | 1 75.25                                                                                      | 1- 77.56                                                                                     | 1 73.89                                                                                      | 1 80.53                                                                                      |

Source:- DA&FW

*****

## Annexure ll ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  THE  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5241 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 02.04.2025 IN THE LOK  SABHA

| Sugar Season   | (? per quintal)   | Basic Recovery Level   |
|----------------|-------------------|------------------------|
| 2019-20        | 275               | 10%                    |
| 2m2            | 285               | 10%                    |
| 2021 -22       | 290               | 10%                    |
| 2022-23        | 36i               | 10.25%                 |
| 2023 -24       | 315               | a.25%                  |
| 202r2{         | 340               | 10.25%                 |

R $c + +: +e