NT Reporter | Panaji
The state government has invited proposals for the
Rs 130-crore redevelopment of Sanjivani Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Limited (SSSKL) at Dharbandora under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The project aims to modernise the state’s only sugar factory with a new crushing capacity of not less
than 3,500 tonnes of cane per day (TCD) and to establish an ethanol distillery of at least 75 KLPD, along with an ENA bottling plant and a petrol pump.
The redevelopment will be undertaken on a Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer (DFBOT) basis. The total land area available for development is approximately 2.4 lakh sqm.
The Sanjivani sugar factory was established in 1971 and became operational in 1974. However, the state government decided to shut its operations during the 2019–20 crushing season, and the factory has since remained non-operational.
Currently, sugarcane is cultivated over about 550 hectares across Goa, producing around 60,000 tonnes annually.
Sugarcane farmers have been fighting for the factory’s reoperation for the past five to six years. The government had provided some relief by paying an annual sum to farmers based on their cultivation and introduced a two-year procurement scheme at Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) to support over 700 sugarcane growers. It has also been promoting high-yield varieties.
However, many farmers have abandoned sugarcane cultivation in recent years due to uncertainty about the factory’s future.
The revival plan includes modernising old machinery, installing a new ethanol plant, and continuing the two-year procurement scheme to support farmers during the transition.
The government’s new plan prioritises ethanol production, aligning with national ethanol-blending goals and offering greater financial sustainability than traditional sugar production. To attract bidders, it also proposes the manufacture of premium products such as organic sugar, sulphur-free sugar, and jaggery.
Earlier efforts to redevelop the factory faced setbacks, with previous tenders issued in October 2022 and January 2024 failing to attract technically qualified bidders. Officials hope the revised, diversified business model will draw the required investment and expertise to finally revive the Sanjivani factory.
