Parliament Question: Special Package for Sugarcane Dues

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 527 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22ND JULY, 2026 SPECIAL PACKAGE FOR SUGARCANE DUES

527. MS IQRA CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

be pleased to state:

(a): whether the Government proposes to introduce a special budget package to ensure payment of crores of rupees of dues to sugarcane farmers pending for years against private sugar mills like Shamli and Thana Bha\van of Kairana Lok Sabha constituency and if so, the details thereof;

(b): whether the Government is working on any specific research and seed replacement plan to prevent yield losses due to the outbreak of red rot disease on sugarcane crops in Western Uttar Pradesh and if so, the details thereof;

(c): whether any new national policy is proposed to reduce the gap between the State Government's sugarcane price and the Central Government’s fixed price for sugar mills and if so, the details thereof; and

(d): whether the Government is preparing any scheme to provide direct dividends to the local farmers to promote ethanol production units in the sugarcane belt of Shamli and if so, the details thereon ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

(a): The payment of sugarcane price to farmers is made by the concerned sugar mills through their own resources. No special budget package has been provided by the Central Government during the sugar season 2025–26 for this purpose.(b): Continuous efforts are being made in this regard. Disease-resistant and high-yielding varieties are being developed through a scientific breeding programme for sub tropical region including Western Uttar Pradesh. Several improved sugarcane varieties have been released for the development of sugarcane cultivation in the State. In the recent years, varieties such as Co. 13235, Co.1823 1, Co. 1 7231, Co.19231 and Co. 1745 1 have been notified in the State. In addition to these varieties, Co. 16202, Co.14201 and Co. 15023, have also been notified for cultivation in Uttar Pradesh, these varieties are tolerant to red rot disease. Furthermore, for sugarcane seed replacement, breeder seed of the sugarcane varieties recommended for the State is produced every year through the Research Council and is distributed to the farmers. .

(C): No such proposal is under consideration.

(d): No such proposal is under consideration. #####