Raju Shetti demands higher sugarcane price than FRP

Emphasising the need to provide higher sugarcane price to farmers, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) chief Raju Shetti tonight demanded lifting of ban on selling of molasses between two states.
He also demanded payment of 50 per cent of labour charges on sugarcane cutting from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MREGS) and that the price of sugarcane be more than Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP).
FRP is the existing arrangement for the price to be paid to sugarcane farmers by sugar mills and is announced each year by Centre, and in some cases by state governments.
Addressing reporters at Secretariat here after attending the first meeting of a Chief Secretary-headed committee on sugarcane pricing, Shetti said, "I will meet prime minister very soon and request him to intervene in this matter to resolve the long-standing demands of sugarcane farmers."

Shetti's party is one of the constituents of the BJP-led NDA in Maharashtra.
The SSS chief, representing farmers on the panel, said he agreed with the claim made by owners of sugar mills that FRP is more than the production cost of raw sugar.

"I agree with what mill-owners say. But at the same time, it is also the responsibility of the Central and state governments to take care of farmers. The base FRP is Rs 2,250 for sugar-mill owners whose sugar yield is less than 9 per cent. For every one per cent increase in the yield, the rate increases by Rs 232," Shetti said.

"To save both industry and farmers, Centre should sanction a minimum subsidy of Rs 400 per quintal on sugarcane. The cutting of sugarcane should be allowed from the MREGS and half the labour charges should also be distributed through it," he said.
BJP MP Sanjay Kaka Patil from western Maharashtra, who also attended the meeting, said it has been decided to seek Modi's intervention in the matter and a delegation under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will meet him in Delhi soon.
Shetkari Sanghatana President Raghunath Patil said that blending of ethanol into petrol and diesel is another pending demand with the union government.

"These are Centre-state related issues and hence we have decided to meet the PM with a delegation very soon," he said.