Images Food (July 8, 2011) | The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) is the apex organization of the private and public sector sugar mills in the country. The sugar industry is the largest agro-processing sector in the country. Sugarcane is bought by the sugar mills directly from farmers without any middlemen. The sugar season or sugar year is from October to September. In the last sugar season 2009-10, approximately Rs. 45,000 crores was paid to farmers as cane price. This year, it is expected to rise to about Rs. 51,000 crores.