Dehra Dun: Private sugar mills in
Uttarakhand have started crushing season after agreements with
sugarcane growers to pay Rs 215-225 per quintal this season
even as the state government is keeping fingers crossed on the
declaration of the state advised price (SAP).
"We are waiting for the Centre to amend its ordinance on
the fair and remunerative price to declare the SAP," state
Sugarcane Minister Madan Kaushik said. He said once the SAP is
declared, the crushing season of the sugar mills in the
government sector would also start.
With retail price of sugar touching Rs 40 per kg, private
sugar mills in the state have already started their crushing
season by entering into agreements with farmers to buy the
sugarcane at a price of Rs 215-225. Scores of farmers are
lining up before these mills particularly at Haridwar which
houses three private sugar mills.
Since Friday, Luxmi Sugar Mill in Haridwar is crushing
nearly 14,000-15,000 quintals of sugarcane daily by issuing
50,000 indents per day. The mill has set a target of crushing
nearly 50 lakh quintals of sugarcane this season, said an
official of the Luxmi Sugar mill. Uttam sugar mill and Luxor
sugar mill have also started the crushing season.
However, agreements between private sugar mills and
farmers have put considerable pressure on the state government
which wanted to declare the state advised price (SAP) around
Rs 190-200.
The government is expected to announce SAP in a day or
two, officials said. The sugar mills in the government sector
are yet to start their crushing season in the state.
Kaushik reiterated that the SAP in Uttarakhand would be
higher than the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh where
private sugar mills have agreed to pay Rs 195.
The sources said the government is trying to safeguard
both the interests of farmers as well as sugar mills in this
regard.
Last week, farmers in Haridwar had stopped trains and
blocked traffic at various areas to lodge their strong protest
against non-declaration of SAP while demanding better price
for their produce.
Ever since the announcement of FRP, the Uttarakhand
government has been hesitant on the SAP, which in turn has
delayed the crushing season also.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, November 29, 2009, 20:16