Vidarbha farmers demands Uniform Price for Sugarcane in Maharashtra

Vidarbha farmers demands uniform price for sugarcane in Maharashtra

Nagpur -14 November 2012

While extending unconditional support to on going sugarcane farmers demands and on going protest for higher procurement price ,Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti ,farmer lobby group in vidarbha raised demand that three slab pricing formula will be injustice to sugarcane growers of Vidarbha-Marathawada  as in the whole Maharashtra Poor sugarcane crop is leading to cultivators demanding a higher price for their produce from sugar cooperatives, most of which are controlled by the Congress-NCP ministers and BJP Leaders . Maharashtra is expected to have an output of just 536 lakh metric tons (LMT) this year as compared to last year’s 756 LMT. While the 2011-12 crushing season saw about 167 sugar factories functioning, the number this year is expected to drop to 136,crop failure has been caused due to poor rains as well sudden rise in cost cultivation ,Kishore Tiwari Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed in press release today.

“The settle formula of best quality sugarcane per ton is based on the calculation that one ton sugarcane give  one quintal sugar and sugar average market minus processing charges should to decide tentative price but now sugar is not only prime product of sugar factories and “Ethanol and Power” are main cost deciding factors hence low yield of sugar is  nothing but higher production of “Ethanol and Power”  hence we are demanding uniform price for a first advance  and total procurement price in order to save debt trapped sugarcane farmers of Maharashtra” Tiwari added.

Last year  three slab formula was adopted and vidarbha-marathawda sugarcane growers were given step-motherly treatment which is likely to be repeated to stop on going protest which will add fuel existing agrarian crisis of dry land region on rest of Maharashtra  where sugarcane is being promoted by all party political ethanol cartel, hence this demand

“The existing unrest among sugarcane farmers is multiple issues one that the sugar mills have begun operations without giving last year’s final rate and this year’s first advance to farmers moreover higher price to sugarcane can be compensated by giving higher price to ethanol but even after sugar is trade @Rs.4000 quintal till sugar factory lobby is not ready to pay sustainable price to sugarcane that is most unfortunate” Tiwari asked. .

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