Patna: Sugarcane farmers in Bihar received additional Rs 10 per quintal above the fixed price for the 2024–25 crushing season, the state government said on Wednesday. The scheme will also continue in the next season.
The announcement was made by Sugarcane Industry Minister Krishna Nandan Paswan at a state-level farmers’ conference held in Patna. Paswan said the government is committed to protecting farmers’ interests while working to revive closed sugar mills.
Sugarcane Commissioner Anil Jha, who also addressed the event, said farmers are being offered a subsidy on agricultural equipment, certified cane seeds, bud-chip and single-bud planting methods, as well as intercropping with crops such as lentils, mustard, and coriander, according to the media reports.
He added that the government is providing incentives for setting up jaggery production units, with subsidies covering up to half of the capital cost. Jha noted that the Chief Minister’s Sugarcane Development Program, focused on certified seed distribution, intercropping, and bud-chip planting, is aimed at cutting production costs and raising farmers’ income.
Farmers were also urged to use the ‘Ekh Mitra’ app to directly report issues to the department and to adopt four-foot row planting techniques to increase crop yields.
