Sugar mills, farmers face-to-face over SAP in UP

Lucknow, Nov 23 (UNI) The Sugar Mill owners in Uttar Pradesh were facing resentment from the cane farmers over the rate of the cane price given by the mills after Chief Minister Mayawati hiked the State Advisory Price (SAP) of the cane to Rs 140 and Rs 145 per quintal.

The cane farmers in the state are not ready to give their produce at a price less than the SAP, while the mill owners, who have moved the Allahabad High Court against the SAP, were not ready to give the hiked price. The mills are giving receipts that the payment to the farmers would be made after the High Court judgement, but the farmers have expressed their dissatisfaction and refused to give their canes to such mills.

The increase of the SAP might have boosted the popularity of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government in the state among the cane growers, but the sugar mills were yet to get any respite from the High Court even after three hearings.

The cane farmers created ruckus at the Malkpur sugar mill at Bagpat district yesterday, when the owners gave receipt to the cane growers that the payment would be made after the court's judgement.

Similarly, the farmers held a dharna in front of the UP Sugar Mills Assocation (UPSMA) office at New delhi yesterday, demanding withdrawal of the case filed by the mill owners against the hike in the rate of the cane by the UP government.

In Meerut too, the cane growers had recently refused to give their produce at the old rate to Kinauni sugar mill.

Against the Statutory Minimum Price (SMP) of Rs 81.18 per quintal for 2008-09 announced by the Centre, UP government for the current cane crushing season 2008-09, has announced the State Advisory Price (SAP) of Rs 140 per quintal for the common variety and Rs 145 per quintal for the early or superior variety of the sugarcane.

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