NASHIK: Deola-based Vasantdada Co-op Sugar mill, which became operation from last Satruday, has crushed 30,000 tonnes of sugarcane during past week.
The Vasantdada sugar factory, which was defunct for the past three years due to financial problems was revived and started functioning from January 18. The crushing season was inaugurated on January 18 by the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. So far, 4,500 metric tonnes of sugarcane have been crushed by the co-op sugar mill.
The sugar mill has set a target of crushing 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of sugarcanes in the current crushing season.
Speaking to TOI, B D Desle, Managing Director, Vasantdada Co-operative Sugar Mill, said, "This is really a great moment that a defunct sugar co-operative mill has revived and started operation after a gap of three years due to honest efforts by the farmers, factory workers, the MLA Rahul Aher and the support of the Nahik District Central Co-operative (NDCC) Bank." He added, Around 4,500 metric tonnes of sugarcane have been crushed so far." He added, "Earlier, we had not booked labourers and we are making them available with the help of other sugar mills. The crushing will speed up during next few days and 1.5 lakh tonnes will be crushed by the end of the season.
The factory has revived after the Nashik District Central Co-operative (NDCC) Bank approved the short-term loan amounting to Rs 7 crore and Rs 4.32 crore loan to the factory following state government's guarantee for short term loan from the bank. The boiler of the co-operative sugar factory was lit by the NDCC Bank chairman Narendra Darade in a programme on December 17.
Vasantdada Co-op Sugar Mill has total dues of Rs 233 crore, including Rs 81 crore of Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank, Rs 30 crore of IDBI Bank, Rs 10 crore of Bank of India, Rs 10 crore of state government, Rs 20 crore for payment of workers etc. The sugar mill has to pay the current loan amounts with regular instalments. The sugar mill has also assured to pay the remaining dues gradually. The dues of workers are also to be paid in instalments.