UP hikes sugarcane prices by Rs 30 per quintal; minister calls it ‘historic’, BKU’s Tikait says inadequate

Calling it a “historic move”, Sugarcane Development and Sugar Industry Minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary said the increased price would mean an additional payment of Rs 3,000 crore to sugarcane farmers this crushing season.

The move has drawn a mixed response.

Union Minister and President of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Jayant Chaudhary, welcomed it and thanked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath: “The UP government respected the sweetness of sugarcane and hard work of farmers”. However, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said the increase was not commensurate with inflation and the production costs farmers face.

Minister Laxmi Narayan claimed that the sugarcane price last saw an increase by Rs 85 per quintal in 2017, and that in the past 8.5 years, Rs 2.90 lakh crore has been paid to sugarcane farmers — almost double as compared to 10 years of the previous government from 2007 to 2017.

He claimed that from 2007-2017, only Rs 1,47,346 crore sugarcane payment was made to farmers. He also said that in the present season, 94% payment to sugarcane farmers has been made.

Laxmi Narayan said Uttar Pradesh now has 122 operational sugar mills, the second-highest in the country after Maharashtra, though the mills in UP are larger in size.

Officials said in the past eight years, four new sugar mills have been established in the state, six mills have been restarted, and the capacity of 42 have been increased.

Describing sugarcane growers as not just producers but “strong pillars of the state’s economy”, he said that respecting the hard work of farmers is the government’s “top priority”.

“Sugarcane is the foundation of our rural life and economy, and it is the government’s commitment to provide every farmer with a fair price for their produce at the right time,” said the UP Minister.

Alleging that 21 mills were sold at “throwaway prices” during previous governments, Laxmi Narayan claimed that the transparent management and investment-oriented policies have attracted Rs 12,000 crore in investments in the sugarcane and allied industry.

He further claimed that the innovative initiative by the state government, i.e. the ‘Smart Sugarcane Farmer’ system — whereby processes of sugarcane acreage, speculation, calendaring, and slip issuance have been completely made online — has been declared as a “model system” by Government of India as it has eliminated the role of middlemen, with direct transfer of funds to the farmer’s account.

Laxmi Narayan said even ethanol production in the state has increased from 410 million litres to 1,820 million litres, and the number of distilleries has also increased from 61 to 97 now.

He also claimed that the sugarcane area in Uttar Pradesh has increased from 2 million hectares earlier to 2.951 million hectares now.

When asked about the government’s claim that farmers are happy with the rise in sugarcane prices, Tikait remarked, “Anything can be said forcibly.”

Maintaining that the rise of sugarcane prices is not in accordance with the rise in inflation or prices of fertilisers, he added, “They (BJP) have a saying, that they would cross the 400-mark in the 2027 Assembly elections… Similarly, they should increase the price of sugarcane beyond 400 before 2027. The government still has time, they can raise the price further next year by another Rs 50 to make it ‘400 paar’…”

Taking a jibe at the UP CM, Tikait alleged that the price rise is not in accordance with his “big stature”. He said before Adityanath is “promoted to the Centre”, he should increase the price of sugarcane as promised.

From the homepage

‘Regime change’ conspiracy behind 2020 riots, Delhi Police tell SC; oppose bail to accused

RJD’s challenge in Siwan: Shahabuddin is dead. Long live Shahabuddin

‘I had money, I paid. What will poor do?’: Retired BPCL CFO’s post on bribery ordeal after daughter’s death goes viral; 2 Bengaluru cops suspended