LUCKNOW: Opposition parties accuse the ruling SP government of cheating cane farmers

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday kept the state advisory price (SAP) of sugarcane for the 2015-16 crushing season unchanged at Rs 280 per quintal.

The decision was announced by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav after a meeting of the Cabinet here. Mr Yadav said his government will ensure sugar mills operate timely and make regular payment to cane growers. The cane price, which has been a political issue in U.P., has remained the same for last three years. Though the decision was welcomed by the sugar industry, opposition parties did not leave any chance to criticise the government. They accused the ruling Samajwadi Party government of cheating cane farmers in the State, the country’s second-largest sugar producer. “The party, which claims to be farmer friendly, has cheated them by not hiking the cane price,” said BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak, adding that the ruling Samajwadi Party government should have fixed the price at least Rs 350 per quintal. “SP in its election manifesto had said that price of agriculture produce would be fixed according to the cost of production,” Mr Pathak recalled. He further said that an increase in the SAP would have definitely motivated tillers to continue with cane farming. Meanwhile, the U.P. Sugar Mills Association (UPSMA) welcomed the government’s decision. “UPSMA welcomes the government’s step of not increasing the SAP for cane purchase during sugar season 2015—16 keeping in view the depressed market conditions and losses suffered by the industry during last five seasons,” its secretary Deepak Guptara said. Out of country’s total sugarcane area of 49.44 lakh hectares, Uttar Pradesh accounts for over 21.25 lakh hectares (about 43 per cent). However, as per official records, the State’s sugarcane productivity as well as sugar production is less than the national average. Sugar production in the State is estimated to be at last year’s level at 7.2 million tonnes in 2015-16. – PTI