Uncertainty over sugarcane SAP: Haryana farmer unions threaten stir
eaders of various farmer unions have accused the government of turning a blind eye to their problems and threatened to launch a statewide protest
It has been more than a week since crushing of sugarcane began at all cooperate and private sugarmills of the state, but the Haryana government is yet to announce the state advisory prices (SAP) for cane crop.
The government has not even fixed any date to announce the SAP. Farmers are now worried that delay in announcement of SAP could cost them dear as this would also delay the disbursement by sugarmills.
Leaders of various farmer unions have accused the government of turning a blind eye to their problems and threatened to launch a statewide protest.
They had been asking the government to enhance the sugarcane SAP to ₹370 per quintal for early varieties from last year’s ₹340.
An aggrieved farmer from Karnal, Desh Raj Kaushik, said, “As the government has failed to fix the SAP, sugarmills are purchasing our produce without mentioning the prices. This unnecessary delay will create troubles for us.”
“The government doesn’t have time to announce the SAP, which is enough to prove that it is not serious about the concerns of farmers,” said Bhartiya Kisan Union’s Haryana president Ratan Mann.
The BKU has called a meeting in Kurukshetra on Sunday and decided to launch a statewide protest if the government fails to enhance the sugarcane SAP by ₹50 per quintal by next week.
In this regard, the agitated sugarcane growers of Yamunanagar district had even held a mahapanchayat at Radaur under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Sangh.
They had threatened to lock all sugarmills of the state and burn sugarcane at the residence of all MLAs if the government failed to fix the SAP of ₹370 per quintal by December 10.
It is pertinent to mention here that the meeting of the sugarcane control board was held on November 13, but no decision about the SAP was taken.
Haryana agriculture department’s additional cane commissioner Jagdeep Singh Brar said, “No decision on the SAP has been taken so far. Such decisions are taken by chief minister and agriculture minister.”
Last year, the government had announced a ₹10 per quintal hike in SAP, taking the price to ₹340, ₹335 and ₹330 per quintal for early, mid and late varieties.
