Uttar Pradesh farmers want better prices for sugarcane

Bijnor/Bulandshahr(UP), Oct 29 (ANI): Farmers in Uttar Pradesh held agitations across the state on Wednesday demanding better prices for sugarcane.

Some of them burnt their sugarcane fields while others attempted self-immolation.

The state government last week announced an SAP of rupees 160-170 per quintal, with an effective hike of rupees 25.

The farmers said it was too low when compared to cost of producing cane.State Advisory Price (SAP) of rupees 160 to 170 per quintal fixed by the government is unacceptable for us. We are not ready to supply cane to mills at this price. We disagree with state government policies," said Shyam Kumar, a farmer.

In Bulandshahr district, farmers under the aegis of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, a farmer' organization, tried to self-immolate themselves.

"The self immolation attempt of volunteers of Bharatiya Kisan Union was against the policies of the state government. The minimum support price announced for sugarcane is very less even though the market price of sugar is rupees 3300. This clearly shows that the government is anti-farmer," said Bhagey Ram Tyagi, district chairman, Bharatiya Kisan Union, a farmers' outfit.

According to sugar dealers, an increase in support prices in Uttar Pradesh was offset by an extension of duty-free sugar imports.

India's sugarcane growing states will have to bear the burden of the price difference between the central government and the state overnment fixed cane purchase price. ANI)