NT Reporter
Panaji
Keeping ethanol production in mind, the Sanjivani Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd at Dharbandora will resume operations from the next crushing season after the state cabinet approved its revival under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model on Friday.
Speaking to mediapersons at Mantralaya, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said a private bidder has been finalised to operate the state’s lone cooperative sugar factory. The redevelopment plan will also include facilities to produce extra neutral alcohol (ENA) and ethanol.
“We are starting the factory on a PPP basis. I appeal to farmers to start growing sugarcane. The factory would procure the yield of sugarcane the way it used to be procured and payment will also be made in the same manner as earlier. A private company will be running the factory,” Sawant said.
He said farmers would continue to receive payment for their produce through the existing mechanism and appealed to them to resume sugarcane cultivation.
The Chief Minister also assured growers that the factory would procure their entire produce from the coming crushing season.
The Sanjivani cooperative sugar factory has remained shut since the 2019-20 crushing season.
Following its closure, the state government arranged for Goa’s sugarcane to be transported and processed at sugar mills in neighbouring states. Financial assistance was also provided to sugarcane growers during the period.
With the cabinet approving the revival under the PPP model, the government expects sugarcane cultivation in the state to resume along with the reopening of the factory.
The redevelopment plan includes ENA and ethanol production as part of the factory’s operations.
Sawant said the finalised private operator would run the facility under the PPP arrangement, while the government would facilitate its revival and ensure that farmers have a market for their sugarcane from the upcoming crushing season.
