C'garh govt demands sugarcane research institute from Centre

Chhattisgarh government has demanded from the Centre to set up a sugarcane research institute in the state to encourage sugarcane cultivation.
State's Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal raised the demand while addressing a meeting called by the Central government in Delhi yesterday to discuss issues of farmers in sugarcane-producing states, an official statement here said today.
Setting up of a research institute will encourage sugarcane cultivation and help farmers to enhance its quality as well as productivity, the release quoted Agrawal as saying in the meeting.
The meeting was presided over by Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

Agrawal suggested that minimum support price (MSP) should be fixed for procurement of sugarcane, besides, production of sugarcane should be exempted from central excise duty to boost farmers and sugar mills to increase production.
Moreover, Centre should create sugar buffer stock to keep a check on the rising price of sugar, he said.

Chhattisgarh has three sugar mills and a proposal to setup more sugar mills as per the requirement was also put up, he said, adding that sugarcane cultivation is being done under 35,000 hectare in the state this year.
He further emphasised on taking necessary action to ensure proper funding from banks for farmers and businessmen related to the cane business.

Besides, Agrawal also conveyed the requirement to set up cold storages for sugarcane in state.
In financial year 2013-14, about 68,196 metric tons of sugar production was recorded in three sugar factories of the state.