Joypurhat Sugar Mill suspended its operation on Thursday night for want of sugarcane, according to the officials concerned.
The mill started operation on November 25 last year to produce 6,000 tonnes of sugar by crushing 80,000 tonnes of sugarcane during its 60-day operational period.
But it produced 4,000 tonnes of sugar by crushing 63,000 tonnes of sugarcane in the last 49 days (November 25 to January 13), the officials said.
Md Abdul Bari, manager of sugarcane procurement department of Joypurhat Sugar Mill, said supply of sugarcane was not enough to keep the mill functional for the rest 11 days. Therefore, the authorities suspended operation because of inadequate supply of sugarcane, he added.
Another official said sugarcane production in the district is on the decline as growers do not get due price of their produce. They are switching to other crops or interested in producing molasses, the official added.
The sugar mill will incur a loss of Tk16crore for unscheduled suspension of sugarcane crushing, mill sources said.
Growers hold the mill authorities responsible for creating supply shortage. They allege the authorities unnecessarily harass growers at the mill gate and make delay in payment.
Babu Chowdhury, president of Joypurhat Sugarcane Growers' Association, has urged the government to ensure good price for sugarcane.