Hooda announces ''highest ever'' sugarcane prices

Chandigarh, Nov 17 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced the highest ever sugarcane price of Rs 170 per quintal for early maturing varieties, Rs 165 per quintal for mid-maturing varieties and Rs 160 per quintal for late maturing varieties.

A decision to give a bonanza of incentive to more than three lakh sugarcane growers in the State, was taken in a meeting presided over by Chief Minister to fix sugarcane price for the cane crushing season 2008-09, here today.

Mr Hooda said these were the ''highest prices'' for sugarcane in the country. As compared to the rates given by the previous Government, the present Government increased the rate for early maturing varieties by Rs 53, Rs 52 for mid maturing varieties and Rs 49 per quintal for late maturing varieties. Also, this rate is higher by Rs five per quintal in respect of early maturing varieties as announced by neighboring Punjab a few days ago.

In the neighbouring State of Uttar Pradesh, the price announced for early maturing varieties was Rs 145 per quintal and for late varieties Rs 140 per quintal.

Therefore, the prices announced by Haryana Government were higher by Rs 25 for early varieties and Rs 20 per quintal for late maturing varieties.

The Chief Minister said that it was expected that these remunerative prices announced today would give boost to sugarcane cultivation in the State because area under sugarcane had reduced from 1.40 lakh hectares in 2007-08 to 94,000 hectares in 2008-09 thus showing a decrease of 33 per cent.

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