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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 9:20:26 am

Centre pushes for early sugarcane crushing

Mills seek special subsidy Kolhapur: Despite an estimated 30-40 lakh tonnes of sugar being available in excess of domestic demand, the Centre is stepping up efforts to keep sugar prices under control. The Union Food Ministry has urged Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka to advance the 2026-27 sugarcane crushing season so that fresh sugar reaches the market before the existing stock is exhausted. Sugar mills, however, say an early start will come at a cost. They are seeking special...

Centre pushes for early sugarcane crushing

Mills seek special subsidy Kolhapur: Despite an estimated 30-40 lakh tonnes of sugar being available in excess of domestic demand, the Centre is stepping up efforts to keep sugar prices under control. The Union Food Ministry has urged Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka to advance the 2026-27 sugarcane crushing season so that fresh sugar reaches the market before the existing stock is exhausted. Sugar mills, however, say an early start will come at a cost. They are seeking special financial assistance to compensate for the likely fall in sugar recovery and the reduction in cane weight that could result from crushing in October. India produced around 280 lakh tonnes of sugar last season. The season began with stocks of nearly 50 lakh tonnes, while annual domestic consumption is estimated at around 280 lakh tonnes. With about 35 lakh tonnes expected to remain in stock by September 30, the Centre wants the new season’s production to start flowing into the market without waiting for the traditional crushing cycle. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka account for nearly 80 per cent of India’s sugar production. The Union Food Ministry has therefore written to the chief ministers of the three states, asking them to bring forward the start of the 2026-27 crushing season. The push comes against the backdrop of a sharp movement in sugar prices. Ex-mill prices had earlier climbed to around Rs 68 per kg, pushing retail prices close to Rs 80 per kg. Following a series of measures by the Centre, ex-mill prices have since declined to around Rs 41 per kg. Yet, the government is looking at further measures to bring prices down and ensure that stocks move into the market. One such measure has been the approval of imports of one million tonnes of raw sugar. Since initial applications covered only around eight lakh tonnes, the Centre has invited applications for the remaining quota. It has also reduced the permissible stockholding limit for traders from 400 tonnes to 200 tonnes. The next major point of discussion will be the meeting convened by Union Food and Public Distribution Secretary Sanjeev Chopra with the sugar industry in New Delhi on September 8. The secretaries of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka have also been invited. West Indian Sugar Mills Association (WISMA) president B. B. Thombre said the Centre was pushing for crushing to begin around the middle of October. Traditionally, most mills in Maharashtra begin operations around November 15, largely because sugarcane harvesting labour becomes available only after Diwali. The industry is, however, willing to explore an early start between October 20 and 25. But early crushing could have significant implications. According to Thombre, sugar recovery could fall by around 1.5 percentage points, while the weight of sugarcane supplied by farmers could decline by 10-15 per cent. The industry will therefore seek special assistance for cane crushed between October 15 and November 15. At the September 8 meeting, it plans to demand a subsidy of Rs 500 per tonne for sugar mills and Rs 300 per tonne directly for sugarcane farmers.

Seamless link to redefine Mumbai-Pune mobility

MMRDA advances Atal Setu connector

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is advancing a critical infrastructure link that promises to fundamentally transform connectivity between Mumbai and Pune. The under-construction corridor connecting the Atal Setu with the Mumbai–Pune Expressway is emerging as a strategic intervention aimed at eliminating long-standing inefficiencies in regional travel and logistics.


While construction progress has been steady, the larger importance of the 7.35-kilometre, six-lane elevated corridor lies in its ability to create a seamless, signal-free route between two of Maharashtra’s most vital economic centres. At present, commuters and freight traffic exiting Atal Setu must navigate circuitous and often congested routes to access the expressway. The new connector, routed via Chirle and Palaspe, will remove this bottleneck, enabling uninterrupted high-speed travel across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).


Urban planners view this project as more than a routine road development. By directly integrating the trans-harbour link with the expressway network, the corridor effectively stitches together key transport infrastructure, creating a unified mobility spine. This is expected to significantly reduce travel time variability—one of the most persistent challenges for both daily commuters and commercial transport operators.


The implications extend beyond mobility. The connector is poised to accelerate the de-centralisation of economic activity away from Mumbai’s saturated island city. Faster access to Navi Mumbai and peripheral growth centres is likely to make these regions more attractive for residential, commercial and industrial development. In turn, this could ease pressure on core urban areas while promoting more balanced regional growth under the broader “Mumbai 3.0” framework.


A major strategic advantage of the project is its integration with the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. Once operational, the corridor will provide direct and efficient access from Mumbai to the airport, while also strengthening onward connectivity to Pune. This is expected to expand the airport’s effective catchment area and improve its competitiveness as a major aviation hub. For industries reliant on time-sensitive logistics, such connectivity could prove particularly valuable.


Economic Centres

The corridor also has the potential to reshape the relationship between Mumbai and Pune as economic centres. With reduced travel times and improved reliability, intercity commuting could become increasingly viable, allowing professionals to live in one city and work in another. This increased fluidity is likely to deepen economic linkages, enhance labour mobility, and support the emergence of a more integrated regional economy.


Speaking on the project’s significance, Metropolitan Commissioner Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee emphasised its role in simplifying everyday travel. “This connector will enable Mumbaikars to access the Mumbai–Pune Expressway without any signal interruptions, creating a faster and more seamless travel corridor through Atal Setu,” said Mukherjee. “It will significantly benefit students, working professionals and those commuting between Mumbai and Pune—making it easier to live in one city and work or study in the other.”


He added that the project aligns with MMRDA’s long-term vision of integrated infrastructure planning. “This is exactly what Mumbai 3.0 and ‘Mumbai in Minutes’ aim to achieve—bringing regions closer and making everyday journeys simpler, quicker, and more efficient,” Mukherjee said.


Scheduled for completion by early 2027, the connector is expected to deliver benefits that extend well beyond its physical footprint. By addressing a critical missing link in the region’s transport network, it underscores a broader shift toward strategic, network-driven infrastructure development—where the focus is not merely on building new assets, but on maximising their collective impact.

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