Pune: The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) chief and MP from Hatkanangle Lok Sabha constituency Raju Shetti, sought sugar in lieu of the FRP (Fair and Remunerative Price) dues as millers expressed their inability to pay. There won’t be any legal hurdle to execute the demand for SSS. Only 5 per cent GST need to be paid. Regarding GST, a meeting would be held with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Maharashtra’s sugar commissioner, Shekhar Gaikwad, said, “Of the 181 sugar mills that have been in operation in the state this year, only ten have paid the full amount of the FRP as mandated by the law, which includes five mills from Ahmednagar.”
Figures published by the Maharashtra government’s Commissionerate of Sugar show that until December 31, mills owed farmers a cumulative Rs 4,575.53 crore, of the total payable FRP of Rs 7,450. 89 crore, farmers had received only Rs 2,875.36 crore.
Sugarcane farmers are upset as it’s mandatory for factories to make full payment within 14 days after the cane is taken for crushing, but mills failed to pay it. The protests were triggered by the decision of sugar mill owners to pay millers at the rate of Rs 2,300 per tonne of cane crushed instead of the full FRP. But after a truce between Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and sugar mills, the protest has been called off.
