Centre Plans Panel on Sugarcane Farmers’ Complaints: What Growers Should Know About Weighment and Delayed Payments

Sugarcane farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka have raised concerns about discrepancies in sugar recovery calculations, weighing of cane and delays in payments from sugar mills. On 12 October 2026, the Centre announced plans to establish a high-level committee within a week to examine these grievances and recommend measures.

The announcement followed a meeting chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and attended by Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi, farmers’ representatives and state ministers. Around 80–90 farmers from different organisations participated in the meeting, according to The Times of India.

The proposed committee is expected to include representatives from the Centre, the Maharashtra and Karnataka governments, farmer organisations, sugar mills, subject experts and scientists. Its work will cover technical issues raised by growers, with recommendations expected within a stipulated period. The government has not yet announced the committee’s final recommendations.

Sugar recovery refers to the quantity of sugar produced from a given quantity of sugarcane. It matters because recovery rates are used in the sugar industry to assess cane quality and production performance. Farmers who question recovery calculations want greater clarity about how measurements affect the price they receive for their harvest.

Growers have raised concerns about discrepancies in the recovery rates recorded by mills. The proposed committee is expected to examine these technical issues alongside complaints about weighment and payments. The available announcement does not establish that every complaint is valid or that all mills follow the same practices.

Farmers who suspect an error should keep their cane delivery slips, weighment receipts, payment records and any written communication from the mill. These documents can help them compare quantities delivered, recorded weights and payments received. Growers should ask their local cane department or cooperative about the formal process for raising a complaint.

Weighment and Payment Delays Remain Key Concerns

Accurate weighment is central to calculating how much a farmer should be paid for delivered sugarcane. If a grower believes the recorded weight differs from the quantity supplied, a written complaint supported by available receipts can provide a basis for verification. Farmers should ask whether their state has a designated grievance officer or inspection process.

Payment delays can create difficulties because growers need money for household expenses, labour, fertilisers and preparation for the next crop. Farmers should maintain a record of delivery dates, amounts due and payments received. Where payments remain outstanding, they can approach the relevant state sugarcane department, cooperative or authorised grievance channel for guidance.

The committee’s announcement comes as sugar mills prepare for the 2026–27 crushing season, which began on 1 October. Growers have also sought a higher support price, citing rising production costs. The panel is expected to examine the technical aspects of the complaints and submit recommendations.

During the meeting, farmers sought an increase in the minimum selling price of sugar from ₹31 per kilogram to ₹50 per kilogram. This is a demand made by farmer representatives, not an approved change in the price. The government has not announced that the requested increase will be implemented.

The minimum selling price of sugar concerns the price at which sugar mills sell sugar. It is distinct from the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), which determines the minimum price mills must pay sugarcane growers under the applicable framework. An increase in the minimum selling price of sugar would therefore not automatically mean an equivalent increase in the cane price paid to farmers.

Farmers should distinguish between proposals under discussion and decisions formally notified by the government. For current cane-price rules and state-specific arrangements, growers can contact their state sugarcane department or cooperative sugar mill.

What Should Sugarcane Growers Do Now?

Farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka should monitor announcements from their state sugarcane departments and recognised farmer organisations for details about the proposed committee. Growers should also ask local officials how to submit complaints about recovery calculations, weighment discrepancies or overdue payments.

Keep copies of cane supply agreements, weighment slips, receipts and bank statements. If a dispute concerns a particular delivery, record the date, quantity and amount paid or outstanding. A clear paper trail can help officials examine the complaint and reduce reliance on verbal claims.

Farmers should also confirm the current applicable cane price and payment deadlines through official state sources. The proposed committee may recommend changes, but growers should not assume that the announcement itself alters existing payment rules or guarantees compensation.

The Centre’s planned committee could provide a forum to examine sugarcane farmers’ complaints about recovery rates, weighment and delayed payments. Its impact will depend on the committee’s findings, the recommendations it submits and the action taken by the authorities. Until formal decisions are announced, farmers should preserve records and use official grievance channels.