Thanjavur: Sugarcane farmers in the state have expressed disappointment over the Centre’s decision to increase FRP for sugarcane by Rs 10 per quintal for a recovery rate of 10.25% as this won’t recover the increased costs and they called it as “unacceptable as only a few sugar mills have a recovery rate of 10% and above, reports New Indian Express.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has increased FRP for sugarcane to Rs 315 per quintal for the 2023-24 season. It has also been approved to provide a premium of Rs.3.07/qtl for each 0.1% increase in recovery over and above 10.25%, & reduction in FRP by Rs.3.07/qtl for every 0.1% decrease in recovery. Government has also decided that there shall not be any deduction in case of sugar mills where recovery is below 9.5%. Such farmers will get Rs.291.975/qtl for sugarcane in ensuing sugar season 2023-24 in place of Rs.282.125/qtl in current sugar season 2022-23.
D Ravindran, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Sugarcane Farmers Association said that the price is unacceptable to sugarcane farmers.
“Recovery rate of sugar mills in TN is between 8.6% to 9.5% and only a few mills have a recovery rate of 10% or 10.1%, hence farmers in this state will not be able to get benefits of increased FRP,” he said.
In the last four years, the government has increased FRP by Rs 170 per tonne but the prices of inputs like diesel, fertilizers and labour costs have been increased by 60%, he said.
