Haryana govt gives relaxation to cane growers

Chadigarh, Aug 23 (UNI) In a significant decision to protect the interests of sugarcane growers, the Haryana government has decided to give them relaxation in the penalty limit for short supply of bonded quantity of sugarcane to the Sugar Mills from 15 per cent to 25 per cent during the 2005-06 season.

The cane growers were reeling under the impact of adverse natural conditions and various diseases of their crops.

Announcing this here today, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that as per the agreement the sugarcane growers had to supply at least 85 per cent of their bonded quantity to the respective Sugar Mills.

A penalty was imposed on the farmers for not supplying the bonded quantity of sugarcane. However, the area under sugarcane had come down from 1.30 lakh hectares to 1.27 lakh hectares during the season 2005-06 due to several natural causes.

Similarly, the diseases at different crop stages had also affected the sugarcane crop yield in some part of the reserved area of different sugar mills.

Mr Hooda said in view of this, some of the farmers had failed to supply 85 per cent of sugarcane to the Sugar Mills. Keeping in view the difficulties faced by the farmers for not being able to supply the agreed sugarcane to the Sugar Mills, the Government had taken this decision to give them relaxation in the percentage of sugarcane to be supplied to the Sugar Mills.

The Chief Minister said the interests of the farmers were of prime concern of the State Government and its endeavour would be to increase the area under this crop and encourage the farmers to continue cultivating this crop.

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