PANAJI
The imposition of the Model Code of Conduct in South Goa for the ensuing Ponda bye-election has delayed the finalisation of the tendering process for the revival of the Sanjivani Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Limited (SSSK) at Dharbandora.
Sources said that while the tender remains live and the bid evaluation process was completed last month, the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) department is currently unable to proceed with finalising the successful bidder due to election-related restrictions.
“We would be able to decide on the bidder only after code is lifted,” sources said.
The State government’s latest attempt to revive Goa’s lone sugar factory-shut since the 2019-20 crushing season-had, however, received a positive response. After two earlier failed attempts, four companies expressed interest in redeveloping the unit under the PPP model. Following requests from bidders, the government had extended the deadline for submission of bids to February 5.
The project, estimated at around Rs 130 crore, involves redevelopment of the existing plant with a minimum sugarcane crushing capacity of 3,500 tonnes per day (TCD). The proposal also includes setting up of a bottling unit and an ethanol production plant with a capacity of at least 75 KLPD under a Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer (DFBOT) framework.
The total land available for the project spans approximately 2.4 lakh square metres.
Earlier attempts to attract private investment had failed to take off. In 2022, two bidders who participated in the Request for Qualification (RFQ) stage did not qualify, while in 2024, the tender drew no interest.
Before its closure, the factory depended on around 550 hectares of sugarcane cultivation in Goa, producing nearly 60,000 tonnes annually, apart from sourcing additional cane from neighbouring States.
The prolonged shutdown of the unit has severely impacted over 700 sugarcane farmers in Goa. Many cultivators, having waited years for the factory’s revival, have since shifted to other crops or reduced sugarcane cultivation significantly.
