Sugarcane Smp To Be Raised By Rs 4 This Year

He also said the details of the restructured public distribution system (PDS) for supplying foodgrain to the poor at half prices, as also the new central issue prices of foodgrains, will be announced before the end of this month. The proposals are now before the Cabinet for final formal approval.

Yadav said the bill to decanalise sugar exports will be introduced in the forthcoming session of the Parliament.

The minister ruled out decontrol of sugar for the present but reiterated that the move for delicensing of the sugar industry would be revived and carried though.

He said the new central cane price will be announced soon and become applicable with immediate effect. It was likely to be higher by about Rs 4 a quintal compared with the indicative price of Rs 42.50 for the current year announced earlier.

 

Yadav conceded that the practice of fixation of unreasonably high SAP was posing insurmountable problems for the industry and was largely responsible for the mounting cane price arrears. He expressed the hope that the proposed national sugar pricing board would be able to solve this problem and bring about compatibility in the prices announced by the Centre and the states.

Defending the move for decanalisation of sugar exports, he said it would, in the long run, improve the quality of Indian sugar and its competitiveness in the international market. The country will, therefore, be able to get a firm foothold in the world sugar market, he added.

Yadav said the government was also considering setting up a national grain council to look after quality specifications of foodgrains.