27 February 2024, Prayagraj: Here comes good news for the farmers of Prayagraj and adjoining districts engaged in cultivating sugarcane and maize. The upcoming distillery, which is being built at Shankargarh area of the district, will not only be using sugarcane for manufacturing liquor but maize too will be procured for the same.
The production capacity of the distillery unit under construction in Shankargarh has been increased. Now the unit will produce 80 kilo litres of liquor per day. Earlier the production was 58 kilo litres per day.
The government has sent a letter to the excise commissioner to increase the capacity of the unit. Set up by Mahakaushal Agri Crop India (P) Ltd this distillery is being built on a 45-acre in Shankargarh. The company started construction in December last year. Earlier, permission was taken to make 58 kilo liters of liquor per day in the unit. A committee was formed under the chairmanship of principal secretary, excise to decide on the application to increase the capacity of the unit.
On February 21, the committee suggested the government to increase the capacity of the unit. State government, Joint Secretary, Umesh Kumar Tiwari issued a letter to the Excise Commissioner regarding increasing the capacity of the unit.
“The work of the unit is going on at a fast pace. The unit will produce rum, whiskey, brandy, gin along with ethanol. Efforts are being made to start production in the unit being set up by spending around Rs 250 crore by September”, said Managing Director of Mahakaushal Agri Crop India (Pvt.) Limited, Rakesh Jaiswal. Maize liquor will also be made in the distillery and the same will be purchased from farmers from Prayagraj and also from different parts of the country, said Jaiswal. Along with this, the company will encourage farmers to cultivate maize, thereby enhancing the income of the farmers.
The decision of the upcoming distillery comes at a time when the govt is encouraging the cultivation of jowar, millet, maize etc. Maize was cultivated decades ago in Prayagraj and surrounding districts.
At present liquor is being made from maize only in Punjab. Farmers of Prayagraj and surrounding districts will also be able to earn by selling stubble. In recent years, stubble has become a menace as since the farmers have no use for the stubble, it is burnt in the fields and thereby enhancing pollution. Now, the same stubble will be used along with coal to run the boiler of the distillery and contribute to the income of these farmers.
