Cane farmers’ protests lose steam

In all,Uttar Pradesh has 157 sugar mills. Among these,128 were expected to run this season. These include 92 mills in the private sector,25 in the co-operative sector and 11 in the public sector. Thirty-five mills are located in western UP,54 in central and 39 in eastern parts of the state.

There are two reasons why the agitation is petering out. One,the farmers are not getting Rs 280 per quintal,but they are getting a good price nevertheless because of shortage of cane. Two,they have to vacate the fields in time for sowing of the rabi crop which can’t be delayed beyond December.

It is because of these reasons that Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD),which was spearheading the farmers’ agitation in western UP,has suspended its chakka jam agitation that was scheduled to begin on Thursday. The party defended the suspension by citing the decision of private sugar mills to pay the farmers an incentive of Rs 25 per quintal,as against Rs 15 announced earlier,in addition to the state administered price of Rs 165-170 per qunital.

On Thursday,sporadic incidents of road and rail blockade were reported from three districts of western UP — Meerut,Baghpat and Muzaffarnagar — by farmers owing allegiance to the Bharatiya Kisan Union. Traffic on the Delhi-Saharanpur highway and Delhi-Saharanpur rail track was disrupted for several hours,but the day passed off peacefully.

The farmers have agreed to supply sugarcane since mills in all the three regions of UP — west,central and east — are willing to pay more then the state advisory price,in view of the fact that they will not get cane at this price because of the shortage.

Not a single sugar mill,however,has so far signed the agreement under the Uttar Pradesh Sugarcane Purchase (Control) Order with the cane cooperative societies. The price at which the mills buy sugarcane from the farmers is mentioned in this agreement.

“Right now,our priority is to get the mills to commence cane crushing at the earliest. Signing of the agreement is a mere formality which shall be completed in due course of time,” said Netram,Principal Secretary of Cane and Sugar Industries. The government will ensure that the interests of the farmers are protected,he added.

While private mills have agreed to pay Rs 25 per quintal over and above the SAP,three mills in cooperative sector in Meerut division have announced they will pay an incentive of Rs 15 per quintal. In parts of western UP,particularly in Meerut and Saharanpur division,private sugar mills are willing to pay as much as Rs 250 per quintal.

“Khandsari units,which are offering Rs 220-Rs 240 per quintal to farmers,are giving a tough competition to sugar mills. So,if the mills want sugarcane,they will have to pay a higher price,” said Satyadeo Tyagi,RLD chief for the 22 districts in western UP — called Harit Pradesh by the party.

He agreed that farmers were also keen to get their fields vacated as the time for sowing rabi crops like wheat was running out.