Acting on the instructions of the State government, district administration officials raided godowns of four cooperative factories in Bidar district on Saturday. Sugar stocks of Bhavani Sugars, the lone private factory in the district, were seized a week ago.
Only Naranja Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane and Mahatma Gandhi Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane seemed to have stocks of enough value to pay farmers.
A team led by Tahsildar C. Lakshmanrao locked up three godowns after stock checking.
They found that they had 3.66 lakh quintals of sugar, worth around Rs. 70 crore. The factory owes farmers a total of Rs. 13 crore. It released around Rs. 7 crore to farmers after the government issued it notices on June 27. A team led by Assistant Commissioner Shankar Vanikyal seized factories in Humanbad and Bhalki taluks. Mahatma Gandhi Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane in Bhalki taluk has just enough stocks to pay off its dues.
Officials registered stocks of 76,356 quintals of sugar valued at Rs.14.51 crore, as against its dues of Rs. 14. 13 crore.
Bidar Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane in Humnabad taluk, the oldest factory in the district, had stocks of 1.9 lakh quintals, valued at Rs. 36.74 crore. However, its dues are Rs. 46.04 crore.
Bhalkeshwar Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane, the newest factory that started crushing last year, had stocks of 1.03 lakh quintals valued at Rs. 22.85 crore. But, it owes farmers Rs. 34.87 crore.
The stocks in Bhavani Sugars were also not enough to pay the farmers, officials said.
