Karnal: Hundreds of sugarcane farmers from the northern districts participated in a protest demanding a hike in the sugarcane state-advised price (SAP), reports Hindustan Times.
Farmers under the leadership of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Tikait) state president Ratan Mann staged protests at the residence of the local BJP member of the legislative assembly (MA) Harvinder Kalvan.
Farmers have demanded the government to hike the advised price from the existing Rs 362 per quintal to Rs 450 per quintal. The delay in fixing cane prices has affected the farmers as the mills started cane crushing operations last month but have not cleared the pending cane bills.
“For the first time in the last several years, the government has not announced the sugarcane advised price even a month has passed after starting crushing operations. Citing this reason, sugar mills have not yet started clearing cane payments and the farmers are forced to borrow money from banks and other entities at higher interest rates,” said Ratan Mann.
Agitating farmers submitted a memorandum of their demands to the MLA Kalyan and have threatened to intensify their agitation if the government fails to meet their demands in the next two days.
