Hike in sugarcane price inadequate, say Tikait, opposition parties

MEERUT: Leaders of various opposition parties, farmers and their leaders have termed the increase of Rs 25 in the purchase price of sugarcane in Uttar Pradesh “insufficient” while claiming that the cost of growing this cash crop has increased manifold in the past few years.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had on Sunday announced a Rs 25 per quintal hike in the purchase prices of sugarcane in the state, taking it to Rs 350 per quintal.

“The hike of Rs 25 per quintal is not acceptable to farmers. It is a big joke by the Uttar Pradesh government on the farmers,” Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said in a statement issued by BKU media in-charge Dharmendra Malik in Muzaffarnagar.

The BKU leader claimed the purchase price of sugarcane was higher and diesel cheaper in neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh. “Due to diesel being expensive in Uttar Pradesh, the state government’s hike is inadequate,” he added.

“They promised to increase sugarcane price to Rs 375 per quintal in their ‘Sankalp Patra’ but the price announced is less than what it is in Haryana and Punjab. We demand that the sugarcane purchase price be increased to Rs 425 per quintal amid growing prices of commodities used in farming,” he demanded.

“Farmers have been protesting for adequate price of their crops for over 10 months now and such a little increase in sugarcane

price is a joke on farmers,” Tikait claimed.

Samajwadi Party leader and former member of state planning commission prof Sudhir Panwar alleged that such a little increase had exposed the BJP government’s claim of being number one.

Senior Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Rajkumar Sangwan said the increase was insufficient because cost of growing sugarcane had increased manifold. He further said such a little increase in the purchase price

was an insult to farmers and that they would teach the government a lesson in the forthcoming assembly election.

“We were expecting an increase of at least Rs 40 per quintal but an increment of Rs 25 in four years has disappointed farmers,” said Manoj Malik, the former pradhan and a sugarcane farmer of Paswara village in Meerut district. Meanwhile, BJP district president Vimal Sharma said farmers’ welfare was the priority of the government. (With PTI inputs)