The sugarcane farmers spread over nearly 14 mandals in Nellore district here have now become increasingly agitated over the Kovur cooperative sugar factory near here remaining closed for over two years and giving rise to many ‘uncalled-for speculation’ over its future.
Nearly 5,000 farmers are cultivating sugarcane in over 10,000 acres spread over Kovur, Buchireddypalem, Indukuripeta, Kodavaluru, Vidavaluru, TP Gudur, Venkatachalam, Sangam and other mandals.
Main concern
Their main concern is that with the closure of Kovur factory, they are being forced to sell their produce at a non-competitive price to the private factories and this is seriously affecting their overall prospects at present.
Unless the government comes forward and sanctions a grant of about ₹30 crore to clear arrears to employees and farmers and to replace old machinery, the Kovur factory cannot be reopened so as to support the livelihood of thousands of farmers and thousands of others having direct and indirect employment there.
Owing to the non-reopening, rumours are being spread that the 130 acres of Kovur factory lands might be handed over to the IFFCO Kisan SEZ management in order to encourage setting up of industries in future.
“If there is any such move, we will totally oppose it and we will not let it happen. The farmers will get a better deal only if the factory is reopened. Instead of giving away land to private industries, the government can as well invest funds in factory reopening in the best interests of farmers,” said J. Venkama Raju, president, AP Rythu Sangham.
He said that this could be turned into a multi-purpose project as there would also be a possibility for power generation from the byproducts of Kovur sugar factory.
It has been the main demand of the farmers that the factory be reopened as early as possible in order to make it ready for the 2018-`19 crushing season.
Established in 1974, the Kovur factory has a capacity to handle four lakh tonnes of sugarcane per season. Given the favourable weather conditions, the sugar recovery percentage is stated to be higher at over 9.5 % here when compared to other factories.
