MUMBAI, Sept. 28 -- Concerned about a possible sugar shortage in the festive season, the Maharashtra government has decided to begin the sugar-crushing season from October 15, a fortnight earlier than usual. Farmers' associations have opposed the move and requested sugar mills not to comply, as farmers will face a loss of around Rs.40,000 per acre of sugarcane crop. The mill owners too estimate a loss of around Rs.370 per tonne of sugarcane but they have no choice but to go with government orders. due to lower sugar production The orders have come from the central government, which, amid the sharp rise of over 40% in the price of sugar in August, has decided to import one million metric tonnes of sugar. It has also asked sugar-producing states like Maharashtra to begin production from October to ensure a fresh stock in the market before Diwali begins in the first week of November. Farmer leader and former MP Raju Shetti who, along with farmers, has begun raising his voice against the proposed step, explained why a 15-day advancement of the cane-crushing season would result in losses to farmers and mill owners. "If you cut sugarcane before it fully matures, it weighs less," he said. "Farmers will have to bear a loss of Rs.450 to Rs.500 per tonne. According to estimates based on past experience, they are likely to earn Rs 40,000 less per acre of sugarcane than last year. In that case, the government should compensate them." At a presentation before the chief minister on September 9, the agriculture and cooperative departments posited that 99 million metric tonnes of sugar cane would be available for crushing in the upcoming season and would produce 9.64 million metric tonnes of sugar after the diversion of 1.5 million metric tonnes towards the production of ethanol. However, Shetti challenged the calculation, saying that the government's proposed step would lessen the total sugar production by around 1.8 million metric tonnes in Maharashtra. "Because of this, sugar mills will face a loss in revenue, which will result in their paying farmers less," he said. The farmer leader has held several meetings with sugar industry experts and mill owners such as Harshwardhan Patil, Vinay Kore, Jayant Patil, Vishwajeet Kadam, NCP minister Hasan Mushrif, to request them not to start the crushing season from October 15. P R Patil, president of the Maharashtra State Co-Operative Sugar Factories Federation Ltd, reiterated that sugar mills would face losses due to the early start of the crushing season. "Starting from October 15 will reduce the recovery of sugar from the cane by 1%," he said. "This means that for every tonne of cane, mills will get 10 kg less sugar. Taking the average factory sale price of Rs.37 to Rs.40 per kg into consideration, mills will face losses of Rs.370 to Rs.400 per tonne, which translates into crores of rupees in the entire season." Patil said that the Sugar Mills Federation had requested the state government in writing to begin the crushing season from November 1, but it was firm on its decision since the central government wanted to create a sugar stock before the festive season in November....