Sugarcane farmers feel bitter

Nizamabad: The two sugar factories in the district continue to remain closed as the government has taken a diverse stand on them leaving the sugarcane farmers bitter.

While the government wants the Nizam Sugar Factory to be reopened on cooperative basis, it is strongly against handing over the Nizamabad Cooperative Sugar Factory (NCSF) to farmers.

NCSF, which was established in 1964 on a sprawling 94-acre land 8 km away from the district headquarters, stands testimony to the negligence by various governments leading to labour problems, impediments in institutional credit and the machinery rendered obsolete. The factory had strength of over 1,200

employees. There were nearly 24,000 shareholding farmers, who used to cultivate sugarcane in 40,000 hectares in Navipet, Nandipet, Makloor, Renjal, Yedapally, Nizamabad, Dichpally and Darpally mandals, providing livelihood to about 15,000 people.

Consequently, many farmers gave up sugarcane cultivation. A few farmers, who continue to produce cane, are taking their produce to other factories.

Nizamabad Cooperative Sugar Factory was closed in 2006 due to new economic policies adopted by the Centre and the State.This is the lone unit in the cooperative sector in the entire Telangana.

The downfall of the factory began in 1982 when it started incurring losses. During the regime of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the government wanted to sell away the factory but the farmers got a stay from the High Court.

Since farmers went against the government’s decision, the factory was left without any focus making it non-functional. The Congress led by Y S Rajasekhara Reddy promised to reopen the factory but nothing came in favour of farmers.

The TRS, which promised to reopen the factory in its election manifesto, has not yet initiated any measure to fulfill its promise. The TRS had made this an issue during the movement for separate Telangana but during last 16 months, things have not taken any shape to reopen the factory.

Sai Reddy, NCSF Protection Committee leader, explained to The Hans India that the TRS government promised the farmers and workers that the factory would be reopened soon after coming to power but all their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

The State government constituted a committee headed by Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, which went on a study tour to Maharashtra in January 2015 to find out how the co-operative sugar industries were prospering there.

But the committee has not come up with any recommendations nor has the government taken any decision to reopen the factory.

Sai Reddy said sugarcane being a semi-arid crop, three acres of cane can be grown with the water that would be required for one acre of paddy.

November and December are the sowing seasons and if the factory is reopened now it would help thousands of farmers. He also demanded the State government to immediately announce a policy to waive off the loans of the factory, appoint a governing body and allocate Rs 40 crore fund to run the factory.

Narayana Reddy, a sugarcane farmer, alleged that the State government was adopting double standards with regard to the NCSF.

By:Shyam Madavedi