Mill shut for want of sugarcane
Natore Sugar Mills suspended its operation Thursday night for want of sugarcane, according to the officials concerned.
The mill started operation on November 11 last year to produce 12,750 tonnes of sugar by crushing 170,000 tonnes of sugarcane during its 120-day operational period.
But it produced 7,300 tonnes of sugar by crushing 109,000 tonnes of sugarcane in the last 76 days (November 11 to January 26), the officials said.
ABM Arshad Hossain, managing director (MD) of Natore Sugar Mills, said supply of sugarcane was not enough to keep the mill functional for the rest 44 days. So, the authorities suspended operation in the face of inadequate supply of sugarcane, he added.
Another official said sugarcane production in the district is on the decline as growers do not get due price of their produce. They are switching to other crops or now more interested in producing molasses, the official added.
The sugar mill will face around Tk12crore loss for unscheduled suspension of sugarcane crushing, mill sources said.
The mill also incurred a loss of Tk37crore in the last two years, they said.
However, the growers hold the mill authorities responsible for the supply shortage. They alleged that the authorities unnecessarily harass growers at the mill gate and make delay in payment to discourage supply of sugarcane.
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