The district administration has issued notices to sugar factories to pay arrears to sugarcane growers by July 3.
Assistant Commissioners have issued notices to the four cooperative factories and a private factory in the district to pay arrears fixed by the government.
Notices have been issued in accordance with the sugar control order, levy rules and some provisions from the Indian Penal Code, officials said.
Total dues
The five factories together have total dues of Rs. 118.5 crore.
“If the factories don’t pay up by then, the government will seize the sugar stocks, auction them and pay farmers,” Anurag Tewari, Deputy Commissioner, told The Hindu on Wednesday.
Farmers’ associations have held a series of protests seeking quick payment of dues. With a production of 25 lakh tonnes per year, Bidar is among the biggest sugarcane growing districts in the State. The cash crop is grown in over 30,000 hectares.
The district also has 10 Khandsaris or mini sugar factories, apart from hundreds of backyard jaggery making units.
Details of factories
Mahatma Gandhi Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane has crushed 5.63 lakh tonnes. As per the fair and remunerative price of Rs. 2,300 per tonne, its dues would amount to 14. 13 crore. After crushing 4.38 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, Bidar Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane has dues of Rs. 46.06 crore.
Naranja Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane has crushed 5.19 lakh tonnes and has dues of Rs. 20. 31 crore.
Bhalkeshwar Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane 3.68 lakh tonnes of sugarcane and has dues of Rs. 34.9 crore.
Bhavani Sugars has dues of Rs. 3.13 crore after crushing 59,200 tonnes of sugarcane.
