Nizamabad: Farmers in Telangana are urging the state government to reopen the Nizam Sugar Factory (NSF) to resume sugarcane cultivation. They are requesting assistance such as advanced machinery, subsidies, and bonuses, believing that reopening NSF units in Bodhan, Metpally, and Medak will benefit multiple sectors.
A major meeting was held on Saturday at Yedapally mandal headquarters in Bodhan Assembly constituency, attended by farmers from Bodhan, Banswada, and Nizamabad rural areas, along with Congress MLAs P. Sudarshan Reddy, R. Bhupathi Reddy, and other officials. Farmers explained that they switched to paddy cultivation in 2015 after NSF closed but are now eager to return to sugarcane, emphasising the need for seed subsidies, crop bonuses, and early payments for sugarcane supply.
Senior Congress MLA P. Sudarshan Reddy, a member of the state government committee on Nizam Sugars, said that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy supports reopening NSF to restore prosperity in north Telangana. He announced that the government has paid Rs 190 crore to Nizam Deccan Sugars Limited (NDSL) to resolve factory issues and plans to use existing plants while setting up new ones. Reddy highlighted the goal of cultivating at least 15,000 acres of sugarcane for factory needs.
Despite the farmers' push, agriculture scientists advised against exclusively cultivating sugarcane, citing potential soil damage and the importance of crop diversification. They acknowledged that modern technology makes sugarcane cultivation easier but stressed the need for varied farming practices.
The meeting also attended by Urdu Academy chairman Taher Bin Hamdan, agriculture commission member Gadugu Gangadhar, and other local leaders.
