Lucknow, June 23 : Sugarcane farmers and sugar industry have both benefitted immensely from the efforts of the Yogi Adityanath Government and its investor-friendly policies in Uttar Pradesh. It is a result of the state government’s policies that 11 private sector sugar mills have enhanced their crushing capacity by investing crores of rupees whereas entrepreneurs are setting up 16 new distilleries in the state at the cost of Rs 1250.44 crore. One of these distilleries owned by Dalmia Group has also started production while the remaining 15 will start production by the end of this year.

This is the first time that investors have shown interest in setting up such a large number of distilleries in the state. The prominent industrial houses setting up distilleries in UP also include DCM Shriram, Parle Biscuits and Balrampur Chini Mills Ltd.

However, the situation was entirely different during previous governments in the state when investors had little interest in setting up a distillery in the state while sugar mills were shutting down one after the other.

Things started looking up for both sugarcane farmers and the sugar industry after CM Yogi took over in 2017. The Yogi Government gave priority to boosting sugarcane farming and sugar industry due to the dependence of a large population of the state on the two. First of all he got the blueprint for for the development of sugarcane and sugar industry in the state prepared. Subsequently, he not only reopened the closed sugar mills, but also increased their crushing capacity.

The reopened sugar mills include the ones at Venus, Gagalhedi and Bulandshahr. Now, big industrialists are setting up distilleries at the cost of Rs1250.44 crore in the state, which will benefit both sugarcane farmers and the sugar industry.
It is worth mentioning here that Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of sugarcane in the country.

The state accounts for 51 percent of the total land on which sugarcane is cultivated, as well as 50 percent of sugarcane and 38 percent of sugar production in the country. Out of a total of 520 sugar mills in the country, 119 are in Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, of about 48 lakh sugarcane farmers in the state, more than 46 lakh supply their produce to the mills. The sugar industry in UP provides employment to about 6.50 lakh people directly and indirectly.

According to officials, DCM Shriram Limited has set up a distillery in Hardoi, which has already started production. Besides, Superior Biofuels Limited is setting up a distillery at Shamli; Karimganj Biofuels Limited at Rampur; Ajudhia Biofuels Limited at Bilari; Mahakaushal Agricrop India Limited at Shankargarh, Prayagraj; Yadu Sugar Mill at Badaun, Aarti Distillery in Kanpur (Rural), Forever International Distillery at Deoria; Malmalbros International at Shahjahanpur; Raj Shree Fine Chemicals at Shahjahanpur; Indian Potas Limited at Muzaffarnagar; Parle Biscuits Private Limited at Bahraich; and Balrampur Sugar Mill at Lakhimpurkheri.

Both farmers and the sugar industry will benefit from these distillery units being constructed at the cost of Rs 1250.44 crore. Furthermore, the distilleries will further increase production of ethanol in UP. UP still tops the list of states producing ethanol. From the year 2017-18 to January 31, 2021, a total of 261.72 crore litres of ethanol has been produced in the state through 54 distilleries, which is a record.