Jalandhar: Unhappy over the state government’s announcement of a hike of Rs 15 per quintal in the state assured price (SAP) and pending cane payment, sugarcane farmers from across Punjab launched a protest blocking rail and road routes connecting Jalandhar and Phagwara.
According to the news report published in Tribuneindia.com, farmers have demanded a hike of at least Rs 70 per quintal in SAP. All the 32 farmers’ organisations active in the state participated in the protest call given by the Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee.
The protest on the NH-I stretch snapped a direct link between major cities, including Jalandhar, Amritsar and Pathankot on the one side and Ludhiana on the other for an indefinite period.
Manjit Rai, BKU (Doaba) president said, considering the returns cane growers getting in Haryana which is around Rs 358/quintal, we were expecting a hike of Rs 70 per quintal in SAP but the government has disappointed us by increasing SAP by only Rs 15 per quintal.
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Without corresponding increase in MSP (minimum selling price) of sugar,the increase in SAP of sugarcane will leads to closing of sugar mills due to higher cost of production of sugar than the MSP of sugar,experts should calculate the actual cost of production and reasonable margin to maintain the mill like interest on loans and salaries and wages of sugar mill staff etc will be covered while fixing MSP then only we will compete with Brazil