CHENNAI: Aiming at increasing production capacity of sugar mills, Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam said machinery in the mills in Perambalur, Cheyyar, Vellore, Salem, Madurantakam and at Subramania Siva Sugar Mills would be integrated and automated for Rs 3.6 crore.
Tabling the Agriculture Budget 2024-25, he said a new rotor shaft assembly for 18MW power turbine, costing Rs 6.31 crore, will be procured to prevent stoppages in Chengalrayan cooperative sugar mills.
To extend the life of the power turbine and improve treated water quality, anion and cation exchangers will be installed in water treatment plants at various sugar mills, including Chengalrayan, Vellore, Cheyar, Perambalur, Dharmapuri, and at MRK Sugar Mills, for Rs 1.39 crore.
A total of Rs 12.40 crore from the sugar mills’ fund will be utilised to enhance the efficiency of sugar production units.
The minister also announced a special incentive of Rs 215 per tonne for sugarcane farmers, over and above the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), for the first time during the 2023-24 crushing season. This was an increase from the special incentive of Rs 195 per tonne that is already being provided.
The minister said Rs 250 crore will be allocated by the state for the benefit of 1.3 lakh sugarcane farmers as part of the scheme.
KV Rajkumar, president of South India Sugarcane Farmers Association, said, “The state government must enforce the order issued by former CM M Karunanidhi. According to the directive, the FRP should not be deducted if sugarcane fails to meet the prescribed recovery rate of 9.5%. The sugarcane farmers should receive the minimum FRB without considering the recovery rate.”