Thakurgaon Sugar Mills suspend operation

Thakurgaon Sugar Mills Ltd suspended operation on Tuesday night due to mechanical fault.

Enayet Hossain, managing director of the mill, told this correspondent that operation was suspended as the baffle wall of the boiler broke down at night. He said frequent mechanical problems occurred due to the old machines of the mill, which was established in 1958.  

Sugarcane crushing began on December 18 in the current season. The mill authorities have set a target to produce 5,250 tonnes of sugar by crushing 75,000 tonnes of sugarcane with 7.25 recovery rate. So far, the mill has produced 1,050 tonnes of sugar by crushing 22,770 tonnes of sugarcane. 

During a visit yesterday afternoon, this correspondent saw a long queue of tractors in front of the mill waiting for unloading sugarcane.  

Sugarcane farmers are worried about incurring loss due to the slow pace of sugarcane crushing due to mechanical faults. 

Khalequl Haque, a sugarcane farmer of Akhanagar village in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila, told this correspondent that many farmers will incur huge loss if they fail to supply sugarcane in time. 

Replying to a query, Khalequl Haque said the sugarcane will lose weight due to dry weather.  

Ruhul Amin, president of Thakurgaon Akhchashi Samity (Sugarcane Farmers' Association), told this correspondent that the mill authorities should pay more attention to the operation of the mill.

If such delays continue, farmers will not be able to get profit, he said. He demanded increase in the price of sugarcane considering the delays in sugar production.