RAJSHAHI, Dec 3, 2022 (BSS) - Crushing season of Rajshahi Sugar Mills Limited (RSML) and Natore Sugar Mills Limited (NSML) began on Friday afternoon simultaneously setting target of manufacturing 9,096 tonnes of sugar in the current 2022-23 financial year.
 
According to the officials concerned, the two mills set targets to crush 1,45,650 tonnes of sugarcane to attain the sugar production goal.
 
RSML Managing Director Abul Bashar told BSS there are 6,500 acres of sugarcane for the current season. Target has been set to manufacture 4,136 tonnes of sugar after crushing 65,650 tonnes of sugarcane cultivated on 4,036 acres of land.

There is also another target of producing 2,400 tonnes of molasses during the current season.

Abul Bashar said time-fitting measures have been taken to make their mill profitable as it has bright prospects of boosting sugar production through increasing sugarcane farming in the region.

Local varieties are being replaced by the high yielding and more sugar enriched sugarcane varieties.
 
This year, both sugarcane farming acreage and the number of farmers were enhanced besides raising the selling price of sugarcane simultaneously. The mill authority is seeing the rising figures positively in all aspects related to this field.
 
"We are supplying fertilizer, seed and insecticides among the farmers timely to inspire them to the farming," said Nazrul Islam, Deputy General Manager (DGM) of RSML, adding they are holding meetings and farmers gathering regularly to attain the cherished goal.

He said they are purchasing sugarcane at Taka 180 per mound this year.
 
Nazrul Islam said they are planning to install a mango processing plant and bottled mango drinks factory at RSML aimed at increasing its income.
 
They have formulated a five-year roadmap incorporating the ways and means on how to sustain the mill effectively.
 
Factory building and other installations will be renovated and repaired in addition to modernization of the machinery. Byproduct-based industries will be established for the sake of crop diversification under the roadmap.
 
Talking to BSS here Saturday, NSML Farid Hossain Bhuiyan said they have set the target of producing 4,960 tonnes of sugar through crushing 80,000 tonnes of sugarcane this season.
 
In the last 2021-22 fiscal year, they had produced 3,004 tonnes of sugar after crushing 55,959 tonnes of sugarcane, he added.

He said the government has stepped up different efforts to make the sugar industry a profitable organization. He added that the government also has a plan of refining raw sugar during the off season.

Farid Bhuiyan also said the government has raised the purchasing price of sugarcane, to ensure its fair price at growers' level, for the welfare of the farmers