The former Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar who earlier met Arun Jaitley, led a delegation of representatives of sugar cooperatives to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, reports Economic Times.
The delegation made a strong plea to government for buyout of 10 per cent of its production for creating a buffer stock to solve the crisis the sector was facing. Cane growers arrears are touching a record high at Rs 21,000 crore.
The delegation also sought financial restructuring of loans to the sugar mills noting that the current situation was unprecedented in the wake of surplus sugar production continuously in last five years and an expected 100 lakh tonnne of carry forward stocks at the end of the current season.
Later Pawar said that the Prime Minister has realised the situation was serious. He was anxious to resolve the issue. Other members of the delegation included MPs Prabhakar Kore (BJP), Supriya Sule (NCP), Vijaysinh Mohite Patil, MP and Chairman of Maharashtra State Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd (MSCSFL), Kallappa Awade, President of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd and Abinash Sharma, Director General, ISMA.
A Golden opportunity for Sharad Pawar a one time popularly called “Sugar Daddy” to contribute to lowering inflation. Declare “Sale of Sugar” like buy a “kg free with every kg” a “buy one get one” like.