Mills ended the crushing season in around 100 days instead of the usual 160, partly because 40 per cent of mills have switched to mechanised crushing to deal with labour shortages, and partly due to poor sugarcane quality caused by unseasonal rain. (File Photo) The Centre’s decision to ban sugar exports till September 30 has drawn sharp reactions from farmer organisations, with the All India Kisan Sabha and Swabhiman Shetkari Sanghatana calling it damaging for sugarcane farmers and the sugar industry. On Wednesday, the Centre issued a notification banning the export of raw, white and refined sugar with immediate effect till September 30, 2026, citing the need to maintain adequate domestic stock and check inflation. Consignments already in the process of being exported before the notification were exempted. Swabhiman Shetkari Sanghatana president Raju Shetti was blunt. “In February 2026, the Centre took a decision to allow export of sugar . Within three months, in May, they brought a ban on sugar export.…