Sticking to their stand the sugarcane farmers have intensified their agitation against the Uttar Pradesh Government demanding a better price for their produce as activists of the Bharatiya Kisan Union staged dharna in western Uttar Pradesh in support of their demand.
Main roads in Bijnore, Meerut, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur were blocked as farmers sat there demanding increase in cane price. In Muzaffarnagar, farmers even blocked the rail line throwing rail traffic haywire. The farmers were unanimous in their decision not to sell their produce at the State Administered Price (SAP) announced by the State Government.
“No one will sell cane at the Government announced price. The price is not acceptable to us. The Government has sided with sugar mill owners and announced a price which is pro-millers. This price has left farmers in a lurch. So, the farmers have decided not to sell their produce at Government announced price,” Chaudhry Ramesh Dayal, BKU office-bearer said from Muzaffarnagar on telephone.
The State Government has accepted the proposal of private sugar millers to make payments in two installments of Rs 260 and Rs 20. The first installment would be paid within 15 days of cane purchase while the second would be paid within the crushing season.
The farmers said the Akhilesh Government has betrayed them. “When a BKU delegation met the CM and apprised him of the increase in cost of production, Akhilesh had assured all help. Instead he announced a price which is irrational,” Chaudhry said.
The farmers argue that cost of production has increased by Rs 23 in last one year. last year, the cane price was Rs 280 per quintal. If Rs 23 is added to it the cane price comes at Rs 303 per quintal. How can farmers accept price of Rs 280 which will be paid in two installments, the BKU leader asked.
The BKU declared that farmers will not sell their produce at this rate. Instead they would prefer to set their produce on fire. “Farmers in Muzaffarnagar, Bijnore, Shamli, and Meerut set cane on fire to lodge protest. This agitation is set to gather momentum,” he said.