Brahmavar sugar factory will be rejuvenated: Minister

Expert report sought on how to restart operations

Brahmavar Sugar Factory shut down operations in 2004 owing to mounting losses.

Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports, said on Saturday that the ailing Brahmavar Cooperative Sugar Factory in the district would be rejuvenated.

He was chairing a meeting on the rejuvenation of the factory at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here. The factory shut down operations in 2004 amidst mounting losses. Mr. Madhwaraj said an expert report would be sought on whether the factory can restart operations in its existing building and equipment, or if a new building and new equipment were required.

The report will also focus on the amount of funds required for reviving the factory. After getting the report, a delegation of legislators from the district, under the leadership of Oscar Fernandes, MP, will meet the Chief Minister, the Minister said. He directed the board of directors of the factory to submit the expert report to the Director of Sugar through the Deputy Commissioner. “It is essential to increase the sugarcane crushing capacity of the factory to 1,500 tonnes a day. The defunct equipment should be disposed through an auction,” Mr. Madhwaraj said.

Mr. Fernandes said the factory used to operate at a time when farmers could not make use of the Varahi riverwater. Now, farmers could take advantage of the Varahi Irrigation Project, the first stage works of which has been completed. The project is providing water to 3,800 hectares.

Generating funds

The funds required for rejuvenation of the factory could be generated by selling 25 acres of land belonging to the factory. This could also be used for construction of a government medical college and hospital. A plan should be drawn to make the factory run 10 months a year. This will help farmers to grow sugarcane throughout the year, he said.

Pratapchandra Shetty, MLC, said that already 2,800 farmers in the district have pledged to grow sugarcane. Prompt payment should be made for the cane supplied by the farmers, he added.

Satyanarayana Udupa Japti, general secretary of the district unit of Bharatiya Kisan Sangha, said sugarcane cultivation requires only half the investment of paddy cultivation. “Farmers can cultivate the cane required for the factory. There is no question of cane growers facing losses,” he said.