Patna: Amid the govt’s plan to open 25 new sugar mills and revive nine closed ones, Bihar Sugar Mills Association (BSMA) secretary Naresh Bhatt on Tuesday urged the govt to provide attractive subsidies to cane growers to boost cultivation and sugar production.“At present, both the cane growers in the state and the sugar mills are beset with a critical economic situation. The immediate need is to make cane farming attractive and profitable. We appeal to the Bihar govt attractive subsidy to cane growing farmers like in other states, which would also help pull the sugar mills out of the present crisis,” Bhatt said.He said farmers in border districts were reeling from damage to standing cane caused by excessive rain, floods, waterlogging and strong winds. Fallen cane also suffers lower sugar recovery.Around 40-45% of the state’s cane-growing area remains waterlogged. Bihar has 10 functional sugar mills with a combined crushing capacity of 68,500 tonnes cane per day (TCD).Bihar farmers received Rs 380 per quintal from mills and Rs 10 subsidy from the state govt in 2025-26, compared with higher prices and subsidies in other states.As a result, mills receive cane covering only 55-60% of their crushing capacity.
