TN minister denies reduction in sugarcane prices

Chennai, Nov 26: ) Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister Veerapandi Arumugam has denied that the State Government has reduced the prices for sugarcane.

Reacting to the former Chief Minister and the AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa's statement alleging that the State Government has reduced the procurement price of sugarcane from Rs 1014 per tonne to Rs 802, Mr Arumugam in a statement said the DMK Government has not reduced the prices for sugarcane.

He said eforts were being taken to convene a tripartite meeting and announced the State Administered Price(SAP) for sugarcane.

He said the DMK Government is committed in protecting the interests of the farmers.

The minister also denied that sugarcane crops are withering in Salem and Mohanoor. In these places the farmers have cultivated the sugarcane and supplied the same to the sugar mills, he added.

He also denied that farmers had resorted to agitation in Kallakuruchi sugar mills for reducing the prices of sugarcane.

He ridiculed the claim made by Ms Jayalalithaa that after taking charge as the Chief Minister, she got a verdict from the Supreme Court in favour of announcing the SAP for sugarcane. He alleged that Ms Jayalalithaa had earlier announced the procurement price of sugarcane to Rs 1014 to deceive the farmers, keeping in mind the assembly poll held in May, 2006.

He said the Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has fulfilled his election promise that the vehicles rent upto ten km should be borne by the sugar mills and not by the sugarcane manufacturers.

Earlier, Ms Jayalalithaa, threatened to launch an agitation, if the State Government failed to increase the procurement price of sugarcane.

She also alleged that Mr Karunanidhi had implemented Rs 802 per tonne through office-bearers of co-operative factories without releasing it in the Government gazette.

The AIADMK supremo further charged the Chief Minister for helping sugar mill owners to get a stay order from both Madras High Court as well as the Supreme Court, not to announce the prices fixed by the Government for sugarcane.

UNI