Mixed Fare

be smaller this year, the key element is the price of sugarcane. The industry could pay a high price for sugarcane last year (actually losing on controlled sales since these were based on minimum cane prices while the factories paid almost 50 per cent more) mainly because its expectation of free market (and, therefore, of average) price Was high. This year the controlled price is only slightly higher, and the expectation of average realisation is lower. Hence the mills are reluctant to pay high prices for cane.