Kisan Sangam demands higher price for sugarcane procurement

Tiruchirapalli, Oct 22 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangam has expressed deep concern over Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's announcement of Rs 1,050 as procurement/advisory price for a tonne of sugarcane, and said it would badly affect the cane growers.

In a memorandum to Chief Minister, a copy of which was made available to press here today, Sangam state secretary P Ayyakannu pointed out that while the State Government in Gujarat had fixed Rs 1,700 per tonne of sugarcane, it was Rs 1,600 in Haryana and Rajasthan.

He said in Uttar Pradesh, the government had fixed Rs 1,400 and got an undertaking from private sugar factories that they would not challenge the price fixation in court.

Stating that the National Commission for cost and price for agriculture products had also suggested that sugarcane farmers could be paid Rs 1,700 per tonne of sugarcane, the announcement of the Tamil Nadu Government of Rs 1,050 as procurement price for per 1,000 kg (one tonne) sugarcane, was 'very unfortunate.' He said Farmers Association representatives had sought Rs 2,000 per tonne of sugarcane during the tripartite meeting held at Salem last week under the leadership of State Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S Arumugam.

In that meeting the Minister had assured that he would take up the issue with the Chief Minister and to try to get renumerative price for sugarcane. Despite the assurance, the Chief Minister had announced only Rs 1,050 as procurement price for per tonne of sugarcane, he regretted.

He appealed to the Chief Minister to fix Rs 1,700 as procurement price for per tonne of sugarcane and help the growers.

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