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Our Bureau

Hyderabad , Feb.16

DEVIATING from the established practice, the Central Government has allowed Andhra Pradesh to liquidate sugar stocks worth about Rs 107 crore.

The move is aimed to help the farm community address their immediate cash requirements as well as allowing the Government to repay some of the loans piled up to APCOB (Andhra Pradesh State Co-operative Bank).

Addressing a press conference here today, the State Tourism and Sugar Minister, Dr J. Geetha Reddy, said the decision to allow a State Government to sell the available sugar stock is significant since no State is allowed to sell sugar.

This will help the State Government garner about Rs 107 crore and bring in the flexibility to repay about Rs 70-80 crore of APCOB dues and help make payments by sugar cooperatives to the farmers.

After a teleconference earlier in the day between the State Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy, and the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, the latter agreed to allow AP to sell this surplus 62 lakh quintals of sugar.

Reiterating the State Government commitment to help the farm sector, Dr Geetha Reddy said, "This is a significant change from the earlier TDP Government's policy of selling loss making sugar units. In fact, four of the sugar units, two of them located at Chittoor (Venkateshwara and Renigunta) and Anakapalli and Vizianagaram units, which were on the brink of closure, have been revived. This development will also help shore up the prospects of about 11 sugar units."

The Union Minister also agreed to meet a State delegation later this month to thrash out other issues concerning the sugar sector in the State, she said.

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