Sugarcane rate issue: Punjab CM approves Rs 35 per quintal hike for FY22 amid farmers' protest

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has approved Rs 35 per quintal hike in state agreed price (SAP) for sugarcane farmers, thereby conceding their demands. This takes the SAP in the state to Rs 360 per quintal, which is Rs 2 higher than in neighbouring Haryana.

"Conceding the demand of sugarcane farmers, Punjab CM @capt_amarinder has approved another hike of Rs 35 per quintal in state agreed price (SAP) for crushing season 2021-22. The farmers will now get Rs 360 per quintal - Rs 2 higher than neighbouring Haryana," Raveen Thukral, media adviser to the Punjab CM said on Tuesday.

The decision was taken after Capt Amarinder Singh met farmer leaders over sugarcane prices and the clearance of pending dues, as the agitation over the issues entered its fifth day on Tuesday, impacting rail services and road traffic.

The Chief Minister said the farmers were not to blame for the problem, which was caused by Punjab’s poor finances. He said while he was always with the farmers and wanted to do his best for their welfare, the state’s fiscal crisis had prevented him for increasing SAP earlier. He said that balancing the needs of the farmers with those of the cooperative and private sugar mill owners was tough, given the prevailing fiscal situation.

Rana Gurjit Singh, who is himself a sugar mill owner besides being Congress MLA in Punjab, supported the farmers’ demand for increase in SAP. The farmer union leaders, representing the Sanjha Kisan Morcha, which has been spearheading the sugarcane farmers’ agitation for the past several days, thanked the Chief Minister for addressing their problem and announcing the SAP hike. They also expressed their appreciation for the Rs 5 lakh compensation and jobs to one family member each of the Punjab farmers who have lost their lives in the ongoing protest against the Farm Laws at the Delhi border.

Farmers have blocked a national highway and rail tracks over the issues in Punjab’s Jalandhar and other areas, forcing the authorities to cancel trains or divert traffic. Railway officials in the Ferozepur division said a refund of Rs 53.65 lakh was given to 12,300 passengers for the cancellation of trains so far.  A total of 27 trains were cancelled while 22 were either diverted or short terminated on Monday, railway officials said.

The farmers had earlier rejected a hike of Rs 15 per quintal announced by the Punjab government. The state government had revised sugarcane rates to Rs 325 for the early variety, Rs 315 for mid variety and Rs 310 per quintal for the late maturing variety.

Farmers rejected the proposal on the ground that neighbouring Haryana was giving Rs 358 per quintal to its cane growers. They had demanded the Punjab government to raise the SAP of sugarcane and clear payment of arrears to the tune of Rs 200-250 crore. Farmers sitting on the Jalandhar-Chaheru section blocked the Ludhiana-Amritsar and the Ludhiana-Jammu rail tracks in Jalandhar, affecting several trains.

With PTI inputs

Also read: Punjab farmers' protest affects rail, road traffic