We need to think about cutting sugar production cost: Sharad Pawar

Addressing the Sugar Conference 2020, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that the government should think about cutting down the sugar production cost so that the industry could flourish as some factories had been spending too much on the production of sugar.

Pune (Maharashtra): Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said that some factories have been spending too much on the production of sugar hence there is a need to think about the production cost in order for the industry to flourish.

Speaking at Sugar Conference 2020, Pawar said, "Some factories are spending too much on the production of sugar hence there is a need to think about it because if that is not the focus then this industry will be in danger."

"Sugar is an important business in Maharashtra. About 5.5 crore farmers are involved in it. Once upon a time, Australia was at the second spot in terms of largest production of sugar after Brazil but now India has that much production," he said.

Pawar further said, "Sugar is not purchased at a committed price, hence the purchase is less. I think the central government is planning something for this."

"We will have to decide the combination of ethanol used besides thinking about customer and transport for production and export of sugar. If all things are done well then in future there will be no need to make sugar as we can only go with ethanol as an alternative and this business will have very good output, " he added.