Maharashtra sets October 15 start for cane crushing season

A ministerial committee headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai to decide the policy for the 2026-27 sugarcane crushing season. The meeting approved the start of this year's crushing season from October 15, 2026, meaning sugar mills across the state will begin operations from that date.

The meeting held detailed discussions on cane availability in the state, crushing planning, sugar production, the cane price farmers will receive, and the financial and technical difficulties facing sugar mills. Officials discussed how to plan the coming season while protecting the interests of both farmers and the sugar industry.

The meeting also reviewed the 2025-26 crushing season, the country's sugar stock position, pending FRP and the status of RRCs, cogeneration projects, ethanol supply, cane acreage and production, and sugar output. Preparations for the 2026-27 season, season-wise FRP and MSP, deductions made by mills for various government schemes linked to the sugar industry, and cuts to the funding of the Gopinath Munde Sugarcane Workers Welfare Board were also reviewed.

The meeting discussed starting an interest subsidy under the soft loan scheme to help clear pending dues, and giving a subsidy of 1.50 rupees per unit, as was done in the 2023-24 season, to mills whose power purchase agreements linked to cogeneration projects have expired. It also considered relaxing the mandatory use of jute bags for sugar packing, giving financial and technical incentives to CBG production projects, and running a special cane development scheme to boost cane output. This scheme, meant to promote improved cane varieties, nurseries, cane seed treatment, drip irrigation, balanced use of chemical and organic fertilisers, modern cane cultivation methods and mechanisation, aims to raise the production and productivity of cane farmers and was presented at the meeting by Cooperation Department Principal Secretary Pravin Darade.

The meeting also discussed matters concerning the sugar industry that are pending with the central government, including recommending an increase in the minimum sale price of sugar, a rise in ethanol prices, and early release of pending interest subsidy for ethanol projects.