Cane growers from across Haryana converged onto Karnal’s new grain market on Tuesday to attend the mahapanchayat called to work out a strategy to press for a hike in the state advised price (SAP) for sugarcane.
Protesting under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), farmers accused the state government of ignoring their demands.
They also threatened to stop crushing operations in all sugarmills if the government fails to increase the SAP to ₹450 per quintal. The current SAP is ₹362 per quintal.
Karnal deputy commissioner (DC) Anish Yadav and superintendent of police (SP) Ganga Ram Punia met the union leaders at the mini-secretariat but it remained inconclusive.
Later, the DC told the media that he urged the farmers to end the protest as the government has already formed a committee to consider their demand for SAP hike.
BKU (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni said a farmers’ delegation will be meeting the government committee on January 16 to put forth their suggestions.
“If the government fails to accept our demands, we will stop harvesting crop from January 17 and lock all sugar mills in the state from January 20, indefinitely,” Charuni said while addressing the farmers.
{{/usCountry}}“If the government fails to accept our demands, we will stop harvesting crop from January 17 and lock all sugar mills in the state from January 20, indefinitely,” Charuni said while addressing the farmers.
{{/usCountry}}He said farmers are even ready to burn their standing crops but will sell their produce at the current price.