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Farmers reject Haryana’s ₹10 SAP hike, to intensify stir
Haryana government on Wednesday announced ₹10 per quintal hike in sugarcane price, increasing current price to ₹372 per quintal. The farmers were demanding that SAP be hiked to ₹450 per quintal to compensate the losses due to poor yield and high input cost following a pest attack on the crop.
After farmers stopped crushing operations at sugar mills and intensified their stir demanding hike in state advised price (SAP), the Haryana government on Wednesday announced ₹10 per quintal hike in sugarcane price, increasing the current price to ₹372 per quintal. The farmers were demanding that SAP be hiked to ₹450 per quintal to compensate the losses due to poor yield and high input cost following a pest attack on the crop.
Last time the state government had hiked the sugarcane price by ₹12 per quintal in September 2021 and the farmers were being paid ₹362 per quintal.
In Punjab, the cultivators of sugarcane are paid ₹380 per quintal, ₹8 more than what farmers of Haryana will be getting after the latest hike in the SAP.
“I urge the farmers that the (sugarcane) prices have been hiked and now they should bring their sugarcane to the mills so that mills can run smoothly. The closure of sugar mills is neither in the interest of the farmers nor the mills,” chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said in a press conference at his official residence, announcing ₹10 hike in the SAP.
However, the agitating farmers rejected the hike in SAP as a mere gimmick and vowed to intensify the agitation. The farmers’ agitation entered the sixth day on Wednesday as there were no crushing operations in all 14 sugar mills since January 20.
“The chief minister used to boast of providing Haryana farmers the highest price of sugarcane in the country... ₹10 increase is like alms and useless. On January 26, we will celebrate Republic Day and Sir Chhotu Ram Jayanti at the protest site and the next day we will block the road outside the mill,” Mandeep Ror Chhappar, district director of Yamunanagar unit of the BKU (Charuni), said.
On the other hand, the CM pointed out that though the current sugar price has not increased as expected, the state government is giving high prices for sugarcane crops as compared to the sugar price. He said even though sugar mills are facing financial losses, the state government has “safeguarded” the interest of the farmers.
“Now the sugarcane farmers will be paid ₹372 per quintal, up from ₹362 per quintal,” said Khattar.
According to chief minister, the sugar mills of the state are facing a loss of ₹5,293 crore. He said average cost of sugar production ( ₹4,341 per quintal) is higher than the selling price ( ₹3,400 per quintal) of sugar. While ₹1,005 crore was provided as loan to the co-operative sugar mills and ₹329 crore was given as subsidy to all co-operative and private sugar mills in last two years (2020-21 and 2021-22) as financial assistance, he added.
He said to increase the sugar recovery and to make the mills financially stable, the capacity of cooperative sugar mills is being increased along with setting up ethanol and energy plants.
The government announced the hike in SAP after the committee constituted under the chairmanship of agriculture and farmers’ welfare minister JP Dalal submitted its report on Wednesday. The Committee held meetings with the farmers, private mills, and subject experts and recommended the hike, along with other important recommendations.
The panel has recommended to diversify all co-operative sugar mills by installing ethanol plants, power co-generation in sugar mills commercial use of bio-products like molasses etc.
The committee has also recommended to improve quality of the sugarcane for better sugar recovery percentage.
“The committee was of the view that despite heavy financial losses... state advised price (SAP) of sugarcane may be increased further,” Khattar said, adding due to cold weather conditions the mustard crop has been damaged and girdawari will be started from February 5.
Responding to a question, the chief minister said that the opposition and some farmer unions are doing politics on this issue, which is not fair. Farmers also understand today that the sugar mills are running at a loss and despite this, the government is taking decisions in the interest of the farmers.
Meanwhile, several farmers protesting outside Saraswati Sugar Mills on Wednesday took out a tractor march in interior areas of Yamunanagar, demanding an increase in sugarcane SAP. The march was being taken out as per the call given by the Ganna Sangharsh Samiti, an amalgamation of several farmers’ rights groups.
However, just when the protests were about to begin, the CM announced a ₹10 increase in SAP. Terming the announcement as “charity”, the protesters rejected the increase. The farmers took out the march from the mill and burnt an effigy of the CM at the DC office amid heavy security.
Meanwhile, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni has called a meeting in Kurukshetra on Thursday regarding the government’s SAP announcement and termed the hike a “joke” with the farmers.
Meanwhile, demanding a hike in the state advisory price (SAP) of sugarcane, the farmers on Wednesday morning protested against the Haryana government in Rohtak and other parts of the state. The farmers took out a tractor yatra against the government and announced to protest during Union home minister Amit Shah’s rally at Gohana on January 29.
However, the Haryana government’s announcement to increase the SAP of sugarcane from the current ₹362 per quintal to ₹372 later in the day failed to pacify the farmers.
Farmer leader Inderjit Singh said the Haryana government’s announcement to increase the SAP of sugarcane was not sufficient.
“The Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party government is offering ₹380 per quintal and we will continue our protest. The government should increase the SAP of sugarcane at ₹450 per quintal,” he added.
Interacting with reporters in Rohtak, Haryana agriculture minister JP Dalal said the government has increased the SAP of sugarcane from ₹362 per quintal to ₹372 for the sake of farmers.
“The prices of sugarcane in Haryana are the highest in the country after Punjab and we will raise the price later also. Sugar mills are facing a loss of ₹5,300 crore and if we sell all the mills of the state, this amount can’t be recovered. We urge the farmers to lift their dharna and help in starting the operations in mills,” Dalal added.
