'48 sugar factories will clear farmers' dues by January 23'

Fortyeight sugar factories have promised to repay the dues to sugar cane growers by January 23, according to Sugar and Co-operation Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad.

Addressing a press meet here on Tuesday, the minister said that the factories had urged the government to pay Rs 100 per tonne of sugar cane in order to help them (factories) clear the dues. “ We will consider the request.

However, the government has directed the factories to clear the dues immediately,” he said. The minister added that yield-based pricing system would be introduced for sugar cane from next year.