Farmer organisations ask factories to pay 1st advance of Rs 2,650 per tn by Dec 31

Farmer organisations call off agitation

Maharashtra's sugar industry on Friday heaved a sigh of relief after Swabhimani Sanghatana (SSS) called off agitation demanding higher cane price until January next year. SSS's move came after a sugar cooperative from the sugarcane rich Kolhapur district yesterday declared the first advance of Rs 2,650 per ton. The agitation during last 48 hours had turned violent as the SSS activists had resorted to rasta roko and they allegedly set buses operated by the state run  Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation on fire. Besides, trucks carrying milk and vegetables were targeted.

 

SSS chief and the Lok Sabha MP Rju Shetti demanded that all sugar factories should give Rs 2,650 per ton in two instalments comprising an immediate payment of Rs 2,200 per ton and the balance Rs 450 per ton after two to three months. He announced that his organisation will wait until December 31 for the said payment if factories failed to do so a fresh agitation will be launched from January next year.

 

Shetti's organisation and other farmers organisations had launched agitation a month ago demanding higher cane payment. Shetti was demanding cane payment of Rs 3,000 per ton while Shetkari Sanghatana led by Raghunathdada Patil was pressing for Rs 3,500 per ton. However, sugar factories expressed their inability to do so citing the prevailing sugar price ranging between Rs 2,600 & Rs 2,650 per quintal.

 

Announcing his decision, Shetti criticised the state government for not doing enough but blamed it for dilly dallying. He said that the Centre, the state government and sugar factories should immediately take a decision on the payment of first instalment of Rs 2,650 per ton. On top of it, the state government had asked factories not to pay below the fair and remunerative price of Rs 2,100 per ton.

 

Further, Shetti said the decision to call off the agitation was taken to further avoid the hardship of farmers and labourers who are engaged in cane cutting.

 

A senior minister has welcomed the decision by farmers oranisations to call off the agitation and hoped that the sugar industry will now step up their efforts to crush the standing cane. 

 

Maharashtra has far produced .5 million ton of sugar against .85 million ton of the corresponding period last year. Against 170 sugar factories comprising both cooperative and private, nearly 103 have started cane crushing while others preferred to wait and watch to avoid any damages. 

 

Meanwhile, a committee chaired by union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is slated to meet on December 6. States including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and