Goa has paid higher price to sugarcane farmers: Ravi Naik

Panaji, Aug 26 (UNI) Goa government has paid a much higher price to sugarcane farmers than the minimum support price of Rs 865.80, fixed by the Union government in FY 2007-08 in the crushing season, despite low yield of sugar, according to cooperation minister Ravi S Naik here today.

Replying to a question in the state legislative assembly, the minister said the price paid to the farmers worked out from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,050 per tonne ex-gate though the price of sugar in the open market fell to Rs 1,204 in 2007-08 per tonne as against Rs1,595 in the previous fiscal.

He admitted that the percentage of sugar yield from local sugarcane ranged between 8 to 8.5 per cent as against 11 per cent purchased from outside Goa.

He said he would explore the possibility of using bagasse for generation of power.

UNI BM SR SY RN1851