RANGPUR, Mar 17: Some 3,200 tonnes of sugar worth Tk 160 million are lying unsold at Shyampur Sugar Mills under Badarganj upazila in the district.
It causes financial difficulties to the mill authority.
Arrangement of fund for making full payment to the sugarcane growers who sold their produce on credit to the mills has become almost impossible as the sugar remains unsold, mills sources said.
According to sources, some 4,600 tonnes of sugar were produced in the sugar mill last season. Of which around 3,200 tonnes of sugar have remained unsold.
The sugar remained stockpiled in the mill as the dealers are unwilling to lift it from the mill, sources said.
A good number of sugarcane growers under the upazila, said they went to sugar mills to get their dues as they need the amount for cultivating jute but the officials of the mill could not give any assurance of paying the money.
Farmers alleged that a section of corrupt mills employees unnecessarily make delay in bill payment at least by a week or more to force them to give bribe.
Persons who work both at mill gates and purchasing centres take about five to seven kgs of excess sugarcane per maund and this has become regular feature for the last few years, the aggrieved farmers alleged.
Moreover, the rates paid by the mills are much lower than the prices given by the molasses producers on delivery, farmers added.
A number of dealers alleged that people avoid locally produced sugar as its price is higher than that of imported sugar and its colour is reddish.
They said the market has been captured by imported sugar, as the quality of imported sugar is much better than the local one and price is lower, they added.
Abdul Latif, Managing Director of the mill said several of their attempts to sell the sugar to the dealers went in vain as the price of sugar in the local market is low.
"We are trying our best to sell the sugar and pay the dues to the sugarcane suppliers as early as possible", he added.
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