Kathmandu: The parliamentary committee has instructed the government to create an environment conducive to the immediate operation of closed sugar factories, reports myRepublica.
This directive was issued by the sub-committee of the Industry, Commerce, Labor, and Consumer Interest Committee of the House of Representatives. The committee meeting urged the government to investigate the problems faced by sugarcane farmers and take concrete measures to resolve them.
Last year, a sub-committee of the Industry Committee examined sugar mills in Kailali, Kanchanpur, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, and Dhanusha between mid-November and mid-February. During this study, the sub-committee conducted on-site monitoring held discussions with farmers, sugar industry businessmen, sugar mill workers, relevant government agencies, and ministers from pertinent ministries, and prepared a report.
The sub-committee recommended that the government amend the ‘Operating Procedure on Subsidy for Sugarcane Farmers, 2075 BS.’ It also called for discussions and consultations with all related parties for this purpose.
The sub-committee directed the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, to establish the base rate of sugar based on farmers’ costs. This directive includes evaluating the co-products of the sugar industry and setting the support price of sugarcane in the first quarter.
The government, specifically the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, was also instructed to enhance the institutional capacity of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and the National Sugarcane Research Program. Additionally, there is a directive to coordinate between federal units to ensure the timely provision of fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds to sugarcane farmers.
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