Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: After repeated setbacks, the State government’s plan to bring Goa’s only sugar factory back into operation has shown signs of momentum, with multiple private players stepping forward to explore the project.
Officials confirmed that four companies have expressed interest in redeveloping the Sanjivani Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Limited (SSSKL) at Dharbandora, which has remained closed since the 2019 crushing season. In response to this renewed participation, the government has decided to push back the deadline for submission of bids to February 5.
The agriculture department had floated a Request for Proposal (RFP) in November for the redevelopment of the factory under a public–private partnership (PPP) framework, with an estimated investment of ₹130 crore. Initially, bidders were required to submit online proposals by January 6, 2026, followed by physical submissions by January 8.
The development marks a shift from earlier attempts that failed to attract viable investors. In 2022, two firms that participated in the Request for Qualification process were disqualified, while in 2024 the project failed to draw even a single bidder.
As outlined in the RFP, the proposed project envisages modernising the existing plant to achieve a minimum crushing capacity of 3,500 tonnes of cane per day. The plan also includes establishing a bottling unit and an ethanol manufacturing facility with a minimum capacity of 75 kilo litres per day. The project is to be implemented under a Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer (DFBOT) model, with bidders to be selected through a competitive and transparent process.
The sugar factory complex offers approximately 2.4 lakh square metres of land for redevelopment. Official data indicates that sugarcane is currently cultivated across about 550 hectares in Goa, yielding roughly 60,000 tonnes annually. Prior to its shutdown, the Dharbandora unit also sourced cane from neighbouring States to supplement local supply.
The prolonged closure of the factory has had a deep impact on the State’s sugarcane-growing community. More than 700 farmers were affected, many of whom waited years for the mill to restart before eventually switching to alternative crops. As a result, sugarcane cultivation in Goa has either drastically reduced or ceased altogether in several areas.
