UP farmers threaten to sell cane in other states

Muzaffarnagar, Nov 27: Carrying forward their protests against the sugarcane pricing, the Uttar Pradesh cane farmers have threatened to sell their produce to mill owners in neighbouring states of Haryana and Uttarakhand as they offered better prices.

“The mill owners of Uttarakhand have agreed in writing to purchase sugarcane at Rs 220 per quintal. Therefore, we will not sell our produce below this price," Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said.

He added that in Haryana the price is around Rs 200 per quintal.

In support of the sugarcane farmers, lawyers of the District Bar Association boycotted courts and burnt effigies of sugarmill owners on Thursday, Nov 26, demanding reasonable pricing. The association slammed the government for working against the interest of the farmers.

Under the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) system, the central government announced a price of Rs 129.85 per quintal for sugarcane during the 2009-10 season.

Since the state government has fixed a higher SAP rate (Rs 165 and Rs 170 per quintal) than the FRP, it will have to bear the differential amount. And the farmers are demanding Rs 280 per quintal for their produce.

OneIndia News