UP sugar impasse: Cane diversion picks up

Farmers are now desperate for money to meet day-to-day expenses

The situation in the country’s sugar sector remains grim, though Maharashtra has seen a breakthrough of sorts. Desperation among sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh is forcing them to queue up at the nearest kolhu (jaggery unit) to sell cane at prices ranging from Rs 120-225 a quintal, depending upon location and the availability of cane in the vicinity.

“The stalemate is hurting farmers. For liquidity, he is forced to sell sugarcane at throwaway prices,” Sudhir Panwar, president of Kisan Jagriti Manch and a Lucknow University professor, told Business Standard. He rued the fact that though the government was empowered to enforce the fair and remunerative price on jaggery and khandsari units, according to the UP Sugarcane Act, there was no action on this front. In western Uttar Pradesh, sugarcane farmers have been demanding the settlement of arrears, the resumption of mill operations and an increase in cane prices.

A total of 31 sugar mills have started crushing operations in Uttar Pradesh— 22 in the cooperative sector, eight in the private sector and a UP State Sugar Corporation mill.

Meanwhile, the sugar sector in Maharashtra heaved a sigh of relief on Friday, after Swabhimani Sanghatana called off its agitation, albeit temporarily.

Karnataka to seek central relief
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said he would lead a delegation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to seek relief from the central government for sugarcane farmers.

Contributed by Virendra Singh Rawat, Sanjay Jog and Mahesh Kulkarni