Agreements with growers for supply of sugarcane

(1) (a) Any grower in a reserved area may, before the close of each planting season, offer to sell to the occupier of the factory for which the area has been reserved, for the purpose of crushing in the crushing season immediately following, such quantity of the sugarcane grown by him (or where the grower is a co-operative society, such quantity of the sugarcane grown by all its members) as the grower may specify, but not exceeding the quantity, if any, specified for such grower in respect of such season by the Sugarcane Commissioner or by an Inspector authorized by him in this behalf. (b) The offer shall be made in such form and on or before such date as may be prescribed. (2) The occupier of such factory shall enter into an agreement with the grower for the purchase of the sugarcane offered by him in accordance with sub-section (1) and the agreement shall be in such form, shall be made on or before such date, and shall contain such conditions as may be prescribed : Provided that the occupier may refuse to enter into such an agreement where the sugarcane is intended for delivery during a period in respect of which he has already entered into agreements with other growers for the purchase of a quantity of sugarcane equal to the maximum crushing capacity of the factory. (3) An appeal shall lie to the Sugarcane Commissioner against any refusal of the occupier to enter into such an agreement under the proviso to sub-section (2), and the decision of the Sugarcane Commissioner shall be final. (4) The occupier of the factory shall maintain (i) a register in the prescribed form and manner of all growers who offered to sell sugarcane under sub-section (1), and (ii) the manner in which the offers were dealt with.