Lucknow: Amid ongoing protest by the
farmers over cane price issue, the Uttar Pradesh government
on Sunday said crushing had started at nearly 25 to 30 sugar mills
across the state.
"Crushing has started at nearly 25 to 20 mills in the
state and over 6.5 lakh tonne cane has been purchased by the
sugar mills of which nearly 4.5 lakh tonne has been crushed,"
Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh told reporters here.
He said the Chief Minister and the government were
aware and sensitive towards problems being faced by the
farmers and efforts were being made to resolve them.
"The government had announced a state advisory price
between Rs 160 to Rs 170 per quintal, which is Rs 25 per
quintal higher than last year`s SAP," he said.
He said the sugar mills cannot pay prices less than
the SAP fixed by the government.
"To give higher price and other incentives is within
the purview of the mills. On the behest of the government UP
Sugar Mills Association has already announced to pay an
incentive of Rs 15 per quintal over SAP," Singh said.
He said divisional commissioners and Cane Department
officers have been asked to mediate between sugar mills and
farmers and ensure maximum cane price to producers.
PTI
