Matiari Sugar mill Visit The visit of Matiari Sugar mill had started from the morning of Saturday 15th January, After reaching the Matiari district there was greenery all round in which major crops of Sindh i.e. Sugarcane and Wheat crop cultivation was seen in the field. During the field visit, we noticed that the growers were very busy in cutting the Sugarcane crop so that they could supply it on time to the Sugar mill for crushing; while some were busy in applying the tube well water and fertilizer to the wheat crop. According to the growers comments the Sugarcane per acre yield average is less as compared to last year, because of the heavy rains the crop fell down, elongation of extra roots, and due to late cutting; all these reasons are results of low yield cause. According to growers comments the cutting is completed by 45-50% in this district and the remaining cutting is still to be continued till end of March.

Important factors affecting the low yield of Sugarcane crop. According to growers comments this year the average yield of Sugarcane crop is less than that of last year, which was mds/acre and currently this year it is md/acre as compared to last year. There are some reasons of low yield of Sugarcane crop, firstly due to late September heavy rains the standing water made the crop fall down, and then due to lodging of crops and stagnation of water, elongation of roots, and which resulted in low yield as compared to last year. According to the growers comments the wheat sowing is also less because of high costly inputs, due to regowth of cotton crop, due to less market rates that show in percent 5-6% less and area as compared to last year. During the visit Dr Muhammad Imran, General Manager, Agriculture Services and cane development has briefed and showed us all crushing stages from field cutting to crushing process which is as under: 1. Loading in trucks, tractor trollies, camel carts from field with sugarcane. 2. Weighting of these carriages await in line for computer weightier in the mill. 3. Offloading of these carriages in the carrier. 4. Carrier takes cane into crusher process. 5. Crusher separates Juice and Bagasse. 6. The juice is heated to evaporate its water content with thick sucrose remaining behind. 7. The sucrose is then crystallized in a centrifuge three times to obtain sugar crystals and Molasses. 8. The Molasses were sold off and the sugar was refined to obtain sugar. 9. White sugar was packed in 50kg bags. 10. The packed bags put on conveyer belt then carried them to the ware house.

All these stages have been seen in the field and Sugar mill Matiari. According to mill staff comments the Sugar mill has a registered area of 35000to acres annually and the average yield per acre is mds/acre and crushing capacity is tons TCD whereas the Sugar recovery was last year and this year it is 9.25 because of some factors which were affecting the sugar recovery and sugar production. 1. Due to late rainfall in late September. 2. Due to standing rainy water. 3. Due to lodging of crops and Stagnation of water. 4. Due to long period over time maturity appearance of ear heads in cane plant.