Kathmandu: Sugarcane farmers in Mahottari district have launched a protest after the government left out the long-standing sugarcane subsidy from this year’s national budget, prompting anger and concern among over 15,000 farmers in the region, reports Khabarhub.com.
On Tuesday, farmers gathered outside Everest Sugar Mill in Ramnagar, Gaushala-1, demanding the immediate reinstatement of the subsidy, which had provided Rs 70 per quintal for several years. Just two days earlier, they had submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli through the District Administration Office, urging the government to reconsider its decision.
“This year’s budget didn’t mention the subsidy at all. We’ve been calling on the government to act, and we still hope they’ll listen to us,” said Naresh Singh Kushwaha, chairperson of the Sugarcane Producers’ Association.
The protest is being led by the Sugarcane Producers’ Association and the Sugarcane Producers’ Federation, both of which have warned of larger demonstrations in Kathmandu if their demands are ignored. Farmers say the removal of the subsidy threatens their already fragile livelihoods and could push many out of farming altogether.
Mahashankar Thing, a member of the national federation, said the farmers are demanding three key actions from the government: immediate release of the subsidy for the current fiscal year 2081–82, involvement of sugarcane farmer representatives in the price-setting process, and a clear commitment to continue the subsidy in future budgets.
According to official data, 14,533 farmers were eligible for the subsidy last fiscal year, receiving a total of Rs 203.3 million. This year, the number of eligible farmers is expected to rise above 15,000, with the subsidy amount projected at Rs 217.2 million.
The farmers have announced that if their concerns are not addressed, they will launch a larger protest in Kathmandu starting from Bhadra 8.
Many say the government’s silence comes at a time when farming costs are rising and sugarcane cultivation is becoming less viable. Without state support, they warn, thousands of small farmers could be forced to abandon their fields.
