# Uttar Pradesh clears 94% of sugarcane dues this season 2026-08-26T04:13:32+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Uttar Pradesh has cleared over 94% of sugarcane dues to farmers in the current crushing season, with 99 sugar mills making full payments, the state government said. The Cane Development Department said the state has crushed a record 9,220 lakh tonne of sugarcane and produced 968.58 lakh tonnes of sugar in the last nine years. Between 2016-17 and 2025-26, sugarcane production rose from 1,486.57 lakh tonnes to 2,362 lakh tonnes, while sugar output increased from 87.73 lakh to 89.52 lakh tonnes. Average productivity rose to 82.56 metric tonne per hectare from 72.38 metric tonne, and recovery rates improved to 10.83% from 10.61%. The government has transferred Rs 3.25 lakh crore in cane payments directly into farmers' bank accounts so far. Four new sugar mills have been set up, seven closed mills revived, and 285 new khandsari units established, creating 41,900 jobs. The next crushing season begins in October 2026. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Uttar Pradesh's cane payment record matters because the state is India's largest sugarcane producer, and delayed dues have been a recurring political flashpoint. The BJP government under Yogi Adityanath has consistently highlighted clearance rates ahead of elections. The Rs 3.25 lakh crore figure covers payments across nine seasons, not a single year. Farmers' actual margins depend on the state-set cane price, which is higher than the central floor, and on whether mills pay on time. The 2026-27 season will test whether the trend holds as global sugar prices and ethanol demand shift. ## Coverage - thehindubusinessline.com Led with government's clearance figure and full payments by 99 mills, no farmer or opposition voice quoted This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Cane Development Department, Farmers, sugarcane, Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/uttar-pradesh-clears-94-of-sugarcane-dues-this-season/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/uttar-pradesh-clears-94-of-sugarcane-dues-this-season/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/