Guides · 1 Nov 2026

Pre-season checklist for the crushing season

Before crushing starts, a mill needs its crushing licence, grower and cane records, a verified weighbridge, certified boilers, a tested payment setup and its seasonal staff in place. Give each item an owner and a date well before the start, because the licence often depends on last season's dues being cleared.

Start with the dates

State governments decide when crushing starts. Maharashtra approved 15 October 2026 as the start of the 2026-27 season. Other states set their own dates, so check the order for yours.

For 2026-27 the FRP is Rs 365 per quintal at 10.25% recovery, and it applies to cane bought from 1 October 2026. If your mill has already started, use this list as a gap check and fix what is open.

Area	Owner	Proof to keep
Crushing licence	Managing director, compliance officer	Licence, fee receipts, uploaded documents
Cane plan	Cane manager	Survey summary, agreements, harvest programme
Gate	Cane manager, weighbridge in charge	Verification certificates, test records
Factory	Chief engineer, chief chemist	Boiler certificates, overhaul closure list
Cane payment	Chief accountant	Price rule approval, bank file test
Filings	Compliance officer	Named owner for each report
People	HR head	Recall list, contractor PF records

Crushing licence

Maharashtra's circular for 2025-26 is a useful public example. It says each season needs a separate licence, and that no mill may start without one. Applications went in online between 1 and 30 September 2025, with the fee and security deposit paid through the state's GRAS system. Treat the items below as a template and read the circular for the current year.

The same circular lists per-tonne payments of Rs 5 to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund and Rs 0.50 to the Sakhar Sankul fund on the 2024-25 crush. Reports say a High Court stayed some levy directions in January 2026, so check the current position.

Last season's cane bills paid in full to growers.
Valid consent to operate from the pollution control board uploaded.
Industrial Entrepreneur Memorandum covering actual crushing capacity uploaded.
Registered cane area filed in the prescribed Excel annexures.
Registered grower list uploaded to the Maha-Oos Nondani app.
Revenue sharing formula data filed, with the regional joint director's letter where asked.
Lease or partnership agreement and its approvals ready, if the mill is run that way.
Cooperative mills: government share capital, loan and guarantee dues planned, with utilisation certificates ready.

Cane and field

Survey closed, with tonnage estimated by variety and maturity.
Supply agreements signed for the season.
Harvest programme agreed by village and maturity.
Harvest and transport contracts signed, with advances recorded.
Complaint officer named. Maharashtra asked mills to appoint their agriculture officer to handle complaints of cutters and staff demanding money from growers.

Gate and weighbridge

Weighbridges draw outside attention early. On 10 October 2025 the Maharashtra Commissionerate wrote to all district collectors asking for flying squads with revenue, police, legal metrology, regional joint director and farmer representatives. The squads were to make surprise checks and confirm that farmers receive proper weigh slips.

Verification certificate valid for every bridge. Confirm the period with your Legal Metrology office.
Test weights available and test results logged.
Slip printers and slip stock checked.
Paper fallback procedure written, with a numbered slip book under control.
Operators rostered for three shifts.

Boilers and plant

Under the Boilers Act, 2025, an owner may not use a boiler without a certificate, and the certificate period cannot exceed twelve months. A Khaitan & Co note says the Indian Boiler Regulations, 2026 have replaced the 1950 regulations. Ask your boiler engineer to check renewals and repair approvals against the new text.

Overhaul list closed, with open items signed off by the chief engineer.
Critical spares in stock and tagged.
Laboratory instruments calibrated.
Time loss reason codes agreed.
Trial run completed and faults logged.

Cane payment

The Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 requires payment within 14 days of delivery, unless a written agreement says otherwise, with 15% yearly interest on delay. Maharashtra's circular also bars cash payment at the weighbridge and requires bills to reach the farmer's bank account.

Notified FRP and any state price entered and approved.
Deduction list and priority agreed with accounts.
Grower bank details checked.
Bank file tested with your bank.
Payment due dates tracked from the delivery date.

Filings and people

P-II connection tested and the return owner named.
Daily crushing report owner named. Maharashtra asks for the name and mobile number, signed by the managing director, to go to the regional and development joint directors.
Seasonal recall list issued, with shift rosters by gang.
PF enrolment reviewed. The wage ceiling rose to Rs 25,000 from 17 September 2026, which brings more seasonal staff into mandatory cover.
Contractor PF records collected.
ESI position confirmed with your adviser, especially if the plant runs a distillery.
Drinking water, toilets, health camps and a medical officer arranged for cutters, as Maharashtra's circular asks.

Keeping track

SugarOS, a sugar mill ERP, covers survey, bonding, indents and harvest permits, and its document module sends expiry reminders for licences and permits.

This is general information. Rules change by state and season. Confirm each item with your Sugar Commissioner's office, your accountant or your legal adviser.

Frequently asked questions

Can a mill start crushing while its licence is pending?

Maharashtra's 2025-26 circular says mills must not start without a licence, and that action will follow under the state's 1984 order. Check the rule for your state.

Does a mill need a new crushing licence every season?

In Maharashtra, yes. The circular says a separate licence is needed for each season. Other states run their own licensing, so confirm with your cane or sugar office.

What can hold up a Maharashtra licence?

The 2025-26 circular requires last season's cane bills to be paid in full, along with a valid consent to operate, the IEM copy and cane area data.

How often must a weighbridge be verified?

We could not confirm one period that covers all weighbridges from a primary source. Commercial guides commonly cite twelve months. Ask your state Legal Metrology office for the period that applies.

What is the FRP for 2026-27?

The CCEA approved Rs 365 per quintal at 10.25% recovery for cane bought from 1 October 2026. Check for any higher state price that applies to your mill.

Sources

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