Relief for farmers as Collector assures reopening of sugar mill

TIRUCHY: The sugar cane farmers in Mayiladuthurai would soon heave a sigh of relief as their long pending demand for the reopening the NPKRR sugar mill would be a reality soon. The mill, that was shut a few years ago, was visited by the Mayiladuthurai District Collector AP Mahabharathi on Friday.

The Collector, who interacted with the representatives of farmers associations, also appealed them to increase the sugar cane production.

The mill at Thalainayar in the district was shut a few years back owing to poor sugar cane cultivation, sources said. The farmers, however, refuted the claim and said closure of the mill resulted in losing the livelihood of several thousands of farmers. According to farmers, sugar cane has been cultivated in the district in more than 10,000 acres and more than 60 per cent of the farmers quit and opted for some other crops due to the closure of the mill.

A few months ago, the farmers had met the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers welfare MRK Panneer Selvam during his visit to the delta region and appealed to him to re-open the sugar mill for the welfare of the farmers and the minister assured to act on the matter.

Interacting with the farmers, the Collector said that the Minister in the Assembly assured that an expert committee would be formed to assess the process of reopening the mill.

“The committee had already visited the mill and submitted a report to the government. Accordingly, there is a bright chance of reopening the mill and the farmers should equip themselves to support the functioning of the mill’, the Collector said.

He also appealed to the farmers to widely cultivate sugar cane in the district.

“The district administration, on its part, would recommend the state government to re-open the mill”, the Collector added.