Sangrur, Punjab: Sugarcane farmers in Sangrur are shying away from sugarcane cultivation and shifting to other crops due to the pending cane dues, reports Tribune India.
This has resulted in a decline in the area under cane cultivation in Sangrur and Malerkotla districts. The area under cane cultivation in 2017-18 was 3,810 hectares which came down to 1,894 hectares in 2021-22. The area is likely to decline further in the current financial year.
“Most of the cane farmers are now cultivating paddy and wheat as there is no respite from the government as well as millers to the cane farmers,” said a farmer who has reduced the area under cane cultivation from 50 acres to 22 acres.
The farmers’ agitation for pending cane dues continues in the state and on Wednesday members of the sugarcane growers committee climbed atop the water tank of the MC office demanding release on pending cane dues from a private sugar mill at Dhuri.
