Kurukshetra: Cane farmers start indefinite protest outside sugar mills

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, January 20

After stopping the supply of sugarcane, farm activists have started an indefinite dharna outside the sugar mills and have decided to hold a state-level meeting on January 23 to decide their future course of action.

Seek hike in state advisory price

• The farmers have been seeking a hike in SAP (state advisory price) for the sugarcane to Rs 450 a quintal from the current price of Rs 362
• Farmers serve ultimatum till January 22 and will take further decision on January 23 at a state-level meeting in Kurukshetra
• Jasbir Singh Mamumajra said: “The input cost and the inflation have increased, but the government has not increased the SAP”

Cane cheaper than its residue!

• The protesting farmers in Rohtak pointed out that the sugarcane was fetching a price of Rs 362 per quintal in Haryana, while it was being purchased at the rate of Rs 380 per quintal in the neighbouring state of Punjab. “Even bagasse, the residue left after crushing sugarcane, sells for Rs 400 per quintal,” they lament.

Govt harassing farmers

The government has forced the farmers to take this step as it has not declared the SAP for 2022-23 so far. The delay in declaring the SAP is a step to harass the farmers, while Punjab has already hiked the price. Ajay Rana, karnal district president, BKU (Charuni)

As per the call given by the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) and the Ganna Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, the farm activists gathered in front of Naraingarh Sugar Mills in Ambala and Shahabad Sugar Mills in Kurukshetra.

The farmers raised anti-government slogans and accused the government of betraying the farmers. They said they would not resume the supply till the prices were increased.

The farmers have been seeking a hike in sugarcane price to Rs 450 a quintal from the current price of Rs 362.

The farmers locked the gate of Shahabad cooperative sugar mill. In Naraingarh, the sugarcane farmers started a dharna in front of the gate of the sugar mill. BKU (Charuni) spokesman Rajiv Sharma said: “As per the call given by the union, the farmers had stopped harvesting and now no sugarcane farmer will bring the produce to the sugar mill for crushing.”

BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh announced that the sugar mills had been closed for an indefinite period. If the prices were not increased by January 22, the union will hold a state-level meeting in Kurukshetra on January 23 to decide the future course of action.

In Karnal, farmers protested outside three sugar mills in the district — Piccadilly sugar mill in Bhadson, Karnal cooperative sugar mill in Karnal and Hafed sugar mill in Assandh. Farmers also protested outside the sugar mill in Kaithal district. “We have closed the gates of all three mills in Karnal district and will continue our protest till the fulfilment of our demands,” said farmer leaders.

In Yamunanagar, farmers closed the gates of Saraswati Sugar Mills. In Rohtak, farmers shut both sugar mills, one located in Meham town and the other at Bhali Anandpur village, in the district and began an indefinite dharna to press for a hike in the price of sugarcane.

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