ARTICLE 4 #IndiaAgriculture

Sugar mills across several regions are reportedly scaling down the number of procurement centers due to ongoing delays in payments to sugarcane farmers. According to industry sources, mills struggling with liquidity issues have found it increasingly difficult to clear dues to growers on time.

New Delhi, 1 November 2025 – The Indian sugar industry has expressed serious concerns over the government’s ethanol policy for the 2025‑26 supply year, warning that the shift towards grain-based feedstocks could threaten sugar mills’ operations and farmer incomes.

Farmers across several regions have expressed deep concern over the sharp decline in soybean and maize prices, which have fallen below the expected market rate this season. Due to the low returns, many cultivators are struggling to cover their input costs, including seeds, fertilizers, and transportation.

Amid rising unrest among sugarcane farmers in Karnataka, the state government has stepped in to open dialogue. A senior Karnataka minister has invited farmer representatives for talks with the Chief Minister, aiming to address their grievances and prevent further escalation.

Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest sugar-producing state, is expected to record a 2% increase in sugar production this season, even as the area under sugarcane cultivation has slightly declined. 🚜According to industry officials, the rise in production is being driven by higher sugar recovery rates and improved farm productivity across major cane-growing districts such as Meerut, Saharanpur, and Muzaffarnagar.

Farmers in North Karnataka, particularly in the Dharwad region under Raitha Sene Karnataka, have launched an indefinite protest in Navalgund taluk.

Referring to ongoing reforms, the Home Minister noted that empowering farmers through infrastructure development, better storage facilities, and transparent pricing mechanisms would help convert agricultural labor into long-term economic growth.