After talks with Punjab Agriculture Minister, farmers postpone protest

Jalandhar, September 28

Following a marathon meeting with Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Minister for Agriculture, Punjab, at Circuit House here this evening, members of 31 farmer unions have decided to put off their protest till October 3

They had announced a 24-hour protest at Dhanowali on the national highway between Jalandhar and Phagwara for Thursday, .

Even though the minister said there surely would be a rate enhancement in the mill prices of sugarcane, it would be formally announced by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on October 3 in the Vidhan Sabha.

The existing rate is Rs 360 kg per quintal.

Farmer union leaders, however, said they had demanded Rs 450 per quintal, but were expecting Rs 400 per quintal after the meeting today.

“We will decide our future course of action as per the announcement made in the Vidhan Sabha on Monday,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister said all sugar mills would be made operational from November 1 to 15, including those of Bhogpur and Phagwara. “There is a turbine failure in Bhogpur, for which alternative arrangements are being made. We are also working on the issue to restart Phagwara mill, for which talks are on,” he said.

He also assured the farmers that due legal procedures would be followed to ensure that FIRs lodged against them would be cancelled.