To make state sugar industry into profitable ventures Punjab will convert existing sugar mills into Sugar Complexes in which besides Sugar, Ethanol, Electricity, Liquor etc. to be produced.These views were expressed by additional chief secretary cooperation D.P. Reddy while presiding over a high level meeting of Committee of Experts constituted by the Punjab Government for revival and upgradation of existing Cooperative Sugar Mills in the State here at UT Guest House, Chandigarh. D.P. Reddy said on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh the Department of Cooperation hold series of meetings and discussed the issues with national level experts of sugar industry to produce by-products like ethanol, electricity, liquor etc besides sugar in sugar mills by taking into account the availability of cane and converting present sugar mills into Sugar Complexes.In this high level meeting Director Cane Research Centre, Coimbatore Dr. Bakshi Ram and sugar expert Dr. K. S. Thind, PAU, Ludhiana explained about the reasons for high yield of sugarcane and higher recovery of sugar in the different states of the country than Punjab.
Reddy asked Agriculture Department, PAU Ludhiana, Cane Commissioner Punjab and Sugarfed Punjab to make joint efforts in coordination with Central Research Institutes to provide high yield and high sugar recovery sugarcane varieties to sugarcane growers in the Punjab. "The high yield and high recovery varieties of sugarcane will help in improving the financial health of the farmers as well cooperative sugar mills," he stressed. During deliberations, discussions were also held regarding the expenditure to be incurred on adopting the techniques for converting the cooperative sugar mills into Sugar complexes. It was also decided that the matter regarding availability of funds for modernization and upgradation of existing cooperative sugar mills will be discussed in the next meeting to be convened on 27th and 28th February at Chandigarh.n addition to the national level experts of sugar industry, the Registrar, Cooperative Societies Punjab, Special Secretary Cooperation, Managing Director, Sugarfed Punjab, Managing Director, Puncofed Punjab and elected representatives of the Cooperative Sugar Mills also participated in the meeting.