West UP sugar mills gear up for early crushing season
Saharanpur deputy cane commissioner OP Singh said Uttar Pradesh has 122 sugar mills, including at least 71 in western UP. “This time around, the crushing season may start 10 days earlier than last year.
However, all preparations will depend on the weather,” he said. Farmers have been advised to verify their cane survey records, including acreage and crop varieties, and ensure their bank accounts are active and linked to official identification documents to avoid payment delays.
Bijnor : Sugar mills across western Uttar Pradesh are preparing to begin the 2026-27 crushing season around 10 days earlier than last year, with boiler prayers and steam trials expected to be completed by the first week of Oct and operations likely to start by Oct 20. Thousands of farmers led by Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan chief Sardar VM Singh gathered at a mahapanchayat in Bijnor on Sept 22, demanding a higher cane price, early opening of mills and interest on delayed payments. Mills in Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Shamli and Moradabad have accelerated repair and maintenance work ahead of the season. The preparations come amid demands from farmers for a hike in the state-advised price (SAP) of sugarcane and timely payment of dues.
The preparations come as sugarcane acreage in UP has declined by 47,000 hectares, from 28.87 lakh hectares to 28.4 lakh hectares. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Meerut | Silver Rate in Meerut | Bank Holidays in Meerut | Public Holidays in Meerut | Meerut AQI | Weather in Meerut | Petrol Price in Meerut | Diesel Price in Meerut | CNG Price in Meerut | LPG Price in Meerut Stay updated with the latest Meerut news. Arrangements for procurement centres are expected to be finalised in the first week of Oct. An early start to crushing would allow farmers to clear their fields sooner and sow wheat within the optimal seasonal window. The decline was recorded in several major cane-growing districts, including Bijnor, Lakhimpur and Pilibhit. Farmers attributed the shift to rising input, labour and irrigation costs, delayed payments by mills and sugarcane’s long cultivation cycle. Download the TOI App.