Lucknow: The issue of stagnant sugarcane prices echoed in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday, sparking a heated debate. Sugarcane Minister Chaudhary Lakshmi Narayan assured that the government is committed to ensuring full payment to sugarcane farmers. He further stated that all pending dues would be cleared and directed sugar mills and sugarcane committees to provide farmers with new seed varieties.
Explaining why the sugarcane price was not increased, the minister argued that raising prices at the cost of delaying farmer payments would be counterproductive. He also accused the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government of shutting down sugar mills while handing over 15 mills to a single company.
On Tuesday, during the Assembly session under Rule 56, SP MLA Pankaj Malik demanded a hike in sugarcane prices, stating that while sugar mills have multiple sources of income, farmers are left with no alternative. He also alleged that several mills had failed to pay farmers their dues.
Sugarcane Minister argued that sugarcane production in Uttar Pradesh cannot be compared to that of Haryana and Punjab. He also highlighted that sugar recovery rates in the state had improved from 9.5% to 14%. Additionally, the government is running a campaign to provide farmers with certified seeds, directing sugar mills and committees to ensure their distribution.
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