Karnal: Congress Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday said that the economic condition of sugarcane farmers in Haryana has been steadily worsening, and that sugarcane cultivation has now become a loss-making proposition, reported Hindustan Times.
He made the comments on Friday while speaking to a crowd of demonstrating farmers in Yamunanagar. He argued that the skyrocketing cost of production is burdening farmers and farm laborers, pushing both Haryana’s agricultural sector and its sugar mill industry toward a major breakdown.
“Despite repeated demands, the government has insulted the farmers by increasing the State Advised Price (SAP) of sugarcane by a meagre Rs. 12” he stated.
Jagadhri area legislator Aram Khan and other political figures also participated in the gathering. Following the rally, a formal letter outlining the farmers’ concerns was submitted to the governor via the local district commissioner.
The Congress leader detailed the primary reasons sugarcane farming is no longer viable: the continuous rise in diesel costs, the doubling of land rental fees which especially harms small farmers, and significant increases in costs for labor, water (irrigation), machinery, and other operational expenses.
Surjewala claimed that the decline in sugarcane cultivation directly threatens the state’s farm economy.
He demanded that the State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane be increased to Rs. 500 per quintal to ensure farmers can live decently and contribute to the state’s growth. The current SAP for sugarcane in Haryana is Rs. 415 per quintal.
Sugar mills argue that they are already under severe financial stress due to rising input costs, particularly the higher payments made to sugarcane farmers, while the selling price of sugar remains largely stagnant. Cane procurement costs, fixed by governments through the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) or State Advised Price (SAP), have increased steadily over the years to support farmers’ incomes. However, the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar, which determines the revenue mills earn, has not seen a commensurate revision.
