Sugar mills on Wednesday urged the Uttar Pradesh government to retain state cane prices at the last year’s level. The industry claimed any increase in cane prices by way of state advised price (SAP) for the 2012-13 crushing season would seriously impair their paying capacity.
Last year, SAP stood at Rs240 a quintal and Rs250 a quintal for common and early maturing cane varieties, respectively. The industry reiterated its stand at the state sugarcane fixation committee meeting here, chaired by the chief secretary. Farmers and sugarcane research institutes representations were also present.
Farmers maintained the cane input cost had increased to about Rs230 a quintal for 2012-13 crushing season against Rs187/quintal last year.