Sugar mills owners announce dates of crushing

Six private sugar mills owners today announced the dates when they would start the crushing process, even as two mills started the operations, after the standoff with the government on cane prices ended.

Two sugar mills have already started the crushing process, whereas the remaining six have announced that they will start before the week ends, district coordination officer Rajeshwer Yadav said.

Ending a week-long impasse over cane prices, private sugar mill owners in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday agreed to start crushing at the rate of Rs 280 per quintal, but maintained that the current pricing is "unviable".

Bhartiya Kisan Union, which has rejected the compromise between the government and the mill owners, continued its protest outside the District Magistrate's office for the seventh day today.

BKU activists said they would hold a demonstration on December 5 in different parts of western Uttar Pradesh to press for dues to be paid to farmers.

BKU chief Naresh Tikait appealed to farmers not to supply sugarcane to the mills till their demands are met.

Meanwhile, a case was registered against ten Rashtriya Lok Dal activists, including district president of RLD Sanjay Rathi, for allegedly blocking roads in Mansoorpur area, police said.

The activists were demanding that the crushing season at sugarcane mills began on time so as to allow farmers to realise proper prices for their produce.