Bareilly: District Magistrate Avinash Singh chaired a meeting with sugarcane farmers at the Collectorate Auditorium to discuss issues related to sugar mill auctions, fertiliser availability, electricity supply and other agricultural concerns. The meeting brought together officials from various departments and representatives of the farming community to review ongoing initiatives and address their grievances.
The District Magistrate informed farmers that fresh bids had been received for the Baheri Sugar Mill, prompting the administration to finalise a new auction process. However, as revised circle rates for land will come into effect from August 1, 2026, the auction will now be conducted based on the updated rates. He also announced that land located in Jadunagar and Tanda would be included in the auction process.
Appealing for wider participation, Singh urged farmers to spread awareness among potential bidders and stakeholders to ensure a competitive auction. He noted that the auction process had previously been cancelled seven times and stressed that collective efforts were needed to ensure its successful completion at a favourable price.
Farmers also requested the administration to expedite the auction of Oswal Sugar Mill. Responding to the demand, the District Magistrate said the valuation process for the mill is currently underway and that an auction date will be announced once the assessment is completed.
Addressing concerns over non-functional e-POS machines used for fertiliser distribution, the District Agriculture Officer explained that the systems had been undergoing software updates at the state level, causing temporary disruptions. The update process has now been completed, and fertiliser distribution is expected to continue without interruption.
The Agriculture Officer also informed the meeting that a mobile application for fertiliser booking is being tested in some districts. Under the pilot project, farmers can reserve fertiliser bags through the app before collection. However, he clarified that the system has not yet been introduced in Bareilly.
Responding to complaints that some fertiliser dealers were denying stock availability, officials reiterated that all authorised fertiliser outlets are required to display stock and price boards prominently. Farmers were encouraged to report any violations, after which officials would verify stock details through the online portal and initiate action against dealers found withholding available supplies.
The meeting also witnessed discussions on electricity-related issues, with farmers requesting the transfer of certain linemen to improve service delivery. Concerns regarding the growing menace of stray cattle damaging crops were also raised before the administration.
The meeting was attended by Additional District Magistrate (Administration) Purnima Singh, Additional District Magistrate (City) Avinash Tripathi, officials from the Sugarcane Department, Agriculture Department, Consolidation Department, Cooperative and Stamp Registration Departments, along with representatives of the farming community.
