Pune: FDA Crackdown Shuts 400 Jaggery Units in Daund; Thousands of Tonnes of Sugarcane Left Unprocessed

Daund, 10th June 2026: Nearly 400 jaggery-making units across Daund taluka have remained shut for the past two days following a recent crackdown by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that exposed the production of adulterated jaggery. The shutdown, initiated by migrant jaggery unit operators, has brought sugarcane crushing activities to a standstill, leaving thousands of tonnes of harvested cane unprocessed.

The crisis has emerged amid growing concerns over the economic viability of producing pure, adulteration-free jaggery. Operators claim that the current sugarcane procurement price of ₹4,000-4,200 per tonne is unsustainable given prevailing jaggery market rates.

The issue gained momentum after FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe led raids on jaggery units in Khamgaon and Boripardhi last week, resulting in the seizure of allegedly substandard jaggery worth ₹17 lakh. Following the action, a joint meeting of jaggery unit owners and operators was held at Bormalnath Temple in Boripardhi on Saturday.

During the meeting, participants agreed to comply with FDA regulations and manufacture only pure, adulteration-free jaggery. However, migrant operators argued that doing so would require reducing sugarcane procurement rates to around ₹3,500 per tonne. Farmers and local jaggery unit owners, on the other hand, insisted that the current rates be maintained.

The disagreement has created a rift within the industry, leading to the temporary closure of jaggery units across the taluka. Industry sources estimate that nearly 3,000 tonnes of harvested sugarcane have already begun drying up due to the halt in crushing operations.

“Jaggery produced from sugarcane purchased at ₹4,000 per tonne is not economically viable at the current market price. The economics work only if the sugarcane procurement rate is reduced to around ₹3,500 per tonne while producing pure jaggery,” said Amol Botre, a sugarcane supplier and jaggery unit owner.

Although sugar factories in the region are currently closed, jaggery units in Daund taluka typically process nearly 1,000 tonnes of sugarcane every day. While the sector was once largely dominated by local entrepreneurs, most units are now operated by migrant businessmen.

In an effort to break the deadlock, a second joint meeting involving migrant jaggery operators, local unit owners, and stakeholders engaged in sugarcane harvesting and transportation has been scheduled at Mhasoba Temple near Kedgaon Toll Plaza on June 11. Stakeholders are expected to discuss a mutually acceptable sugarcane procurement price and explore ways to resume operations at the earliest.