The Uttar Pradesh government has announced that it has made a record payment of ₹2.14 lakh crore to sugarcane farmers in the last six years. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been driving policies to prioritize the interests of sugarcane farmers and promote sugarcane crushing, production, and processing. The Yogi government has reopened four closed sugar mills, opened two new ones, and expanded 30 more mills to empower sugarcane farmers. The government’s focus is also on increasing the per-hectare productivity of sugarcane.
Under Yogi’s guidance, sugarcane production has surged from 72.38 metric tonnes in 2016-17 to 82.31 metric tonnes per hectare today. Sugarcane farmers are reaping benefits from the increased production, with an additional profit of ₹34,656 at the rate of ₹349 per quintal per hectare. In addition, 120 sugar mills are currently operating in Uttar Pradesh, crushing a record 6,403 lakh tonnes of sugarcane and producing 683.07 lakh tonnes of sugar in the last 6 years.
The Yogi government has also established an online Khandsari licensing system and made amendments to the Khandsari policy, leading to the establishment of 284 new Khandsari units and providing direct and indirect employment to 31,690 people. The State Government of Uttar Pradesh has also set a record for ethanol production, increasing from 42.07 crore litres in 2016-17 to 160 crore litres today.
The sugar department has employed rural women in sugarcane seed production and distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, 3,196 women’s self-help groups are active, with 60,000 rural women entrepreneurs earning their livelihood by producing sugarcane saplings. Women’s self-help groups have produced 38 crore sugarcane saplings and seedlings, earning ₹102 crores from their distribution.
The policies implemented by the Yogi government have benefited sugarcane farmers and have led to increased production, job opportunities, and self-reliance among women. The government’s consistent efforts to prioritize the interests of farmers and promote sugarcane crushing, production, and processing have borne fruit, benefiting the farmers and the economy.
