NAWALPARASI, Feb 15: Sugar industries in Nawalparasi West have been facing shortage of sugarcane, the main raw material for the industries. As a result, the sugar industries here have not been able to operate at full capacity.
Since sugarcane production was not as expected in Nawalparasi West the sugar industries were forced to purchase sugarcane from outside districts. As a result, industrialists have said that the cost of production has increased.
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The Sunwal-based Lumbini Sugar Industry is purchasing sugarcane from Kapilvastu and Nawalparasi East. Head of Administration at the Industry, Kush Subedi, said that due to the lack of sufficient sugarcane production in the district sugarcane had to be imported from other districts. He said that the industry has purchased 15,000 quintals of sugarcane this year from Kapilvastu alone.
Three big sugar industries in the district have said that they are not able to operate as per their target due to the shortage of sugarcane.
The Bagmati Khadsari Sugar Industry in Susta and Indira Sugar Agro Industries Pvt. Ltd. in Pratappur also stated that due to lack of sugarcane they could not operate to their full capacity. A total of four sugar factories are operating in the district.
The shortage of sugarcane is widely felt as local farmers are gradually turning to alternative crops for farming due to non-payment for their produce for a long time.
