The Punjab Government has raised the State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane by Rs 10 per quintal for the sugarcane crushing season. With the SAP set at Rs 401 per quintal (for early maturing sugarcane), farmers in Punjab will receive the highest rate in the country.
The SAP for mid-maturing and late-maturing sugarcane varieties has been set at Rs 391 per quintal, an increase from the previous year’s SAP of Rs 381 per quintal.
However, this increase has not been well received by the private sugar mills in the state, which are responsible for crushing 70% of the total sugarcane produced. The mills have stated that they will pay Rs 339.50 per quintal to farmers, with the state government covering the remaining Rs 61.50 per quintal to match the SAP. For mid-maturing and late-maturing varieties, the private mills will pay Rs 329.50 per quintal.
They argued that the wholesale and retail prices of sugar have dropped by Rs 150 per quintal compared to last year. In response, the Chief Minister agreed to provide Rs 61.50 per quintal directly to farmers who deliver their cane to private mills for crushing, reported The Tribune.
Punjab is expected to produce 62 lakh quintals of sugar this season.
Jangveer Singh Chauhan, president of the Doaba Kisan Committee, expressed satisfaction with the SAP increase, noting that while they had called for a price of Rs 450 per quintal, they were happy that Punjab’s cane growers would receive the highest price in the country.
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