41 Sugar Mills in Maharashtra Await Crushing Licences as Season Begins
Despite the start of the 2026-27 sugarcane crushing season, 41 sugar mills in Maharashtra are still pending their crushing licences.
106 sugar mills have produced 48.65 lakh quintals of sugar so far this season.
41 mills are yet to receive licences due to incomplete applications or non-compliance with regulations.
The licensing process has been streamlined, allowing online issuance for compliant mills.
The 2026-27 sugarcane crushing season has commenced in Maharashtra, yet 41 sugar mills are still awaiting their crushing licences as of October 28. The state has seen a production of 48.65 lakh quintals of sugar from 106 operational mills, which have crushed 64.91 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, achieving an average sugar recovery rate of 7.49 percent. The delay in licensing raises concerns about when these mills will begin purchasing sugarcane from farmers and initiating operations.
This year, a total of 213 mills, comprising 106 cooperative and 107 private entities, have applied for crushing licences. To obtain these licences, mills must fulfill specific criteria, including paying farmers the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) from the previous season, settling government fees, and providing a pollution clearance certificate. Additionally, mills operating under lease or partnership must submit a registered agreement with their applications.
As of last week, the applications of 22 mills—13 cooperative and 9 private—were returned for failing to meet the necessary conditions. Some applications remain under review. An official from the Sugar Commissionerate indicated that the licensing process has been simplified, allowing for online issuance of licences to compliant mills, thus eliminating the need for repeated visits to the Commissionerate. However, non-compliance with government regulations has hindered some mills from receiving their licences.
Issues such as incomplete application forms and missing certificates for government fee payments have led to delays. Mills have been instructed to rectify these deficiencies and resubmit their applications. Currently, 106 sugar mills, including 51 cooperative and 55 private, have commenced crushing operations. The remaining mills are expected to start soon. In contrast, only two private mills had begun operations by this date last year, indicating a significant increase in early activity this season.
Looking ahead, the Sugar Commissionerate aims to expedite the licensing process further to ensure that all compliant mills can begin operations without unnecessary delays. Stakeholders are keenly observing how quickly the remaining mills can resolve their application issues and join the ongoing crushing activities.
