New season begins, but Maharashtra sugar factories owe farmers Rs 176 crore
(WorldNews India)

MUMBAI: While the new sugar crushing season is all set to begin on Saturday, 26 sugar factories in the state are yet to clear dues worth Rs 176 crore owed to cane farmers. `We have issued notices to the factories asking them to complete payment. If they do not, we will not issue them licences for the new crushing season,` said state sugar commissioner Sambhaji Kadu Patil. Private sugar factories are at the top of the defaulters´ list. These include New Phaltan factory in Satara which owes Rs 48 crore and Jai Mahesh factory in Beed which owes Rs 26 crore. Solapur-based...