Farmers’ representatives belonging to various associations called upon the district administration to initiate action against the private mill for its failure to pay the government support for the cane procured from the farmers.
M. Asia Mariam, District Collector, presided over the meeting.
The farmers’ representatives who raised the issue at the farmers’ grievances redress meeting held at the Collectorate here recently said that the private sugar mill functioning in the district has not paid dues to the tune of Rs. 63 crores to cane farmers.
Nalla Gounder, State vice-president of the Tamil Nadu Cane Farmers Association, said that the private sugar mills functioning in the state are not providing the government support price to the cane farmers for the last four years.
Twenty four private sugar mills owed as high as ₹ 1,437 crore to the cane farmers in the last four years. This has badly hit the cane farmers.
He said that the private sugar mill functioning in the district owed ₹ 63 crore to the farmers of the district. This was despite holding negotiations on various occasions.
He alleged that the mill is prepared to give a meagre ₹ 300 a tonne, instead of the government support price of ₹ 1,200, for the pending dues. This is totally unacceptable to the farmers, who are already facing severe financial crunch.
Mr. Nalla Gounder demanded the district administration to initiate action against the private sugar mill for its failure to sanction the government announced support price.
Soon the farmers raised slogans against the private sugar mill and urging the district administration to come to the rescue of the hapless farmers, leading to commotion.
