Lucknow: The issue of sugarcane farmers is back in the news after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath about the government’s decision to not raise the crop’s minimum support price.
In her letter, Gandhi said, “Your government has declared the minimum support price of sugarcane in the state recently. It is surprising that there has been no increase in the minimum support price in comparison to the last crushing season of sugarcane. The cost of labour has increased along with the price of electricity, but the MSP for the crop has not gone up (simultaneously). Also, crores of dues of sugarcane farmers is yet to be disbursed. A similar situation is being faced by the state’s paddy farmers and they too are not getting the correct price for their crops. The farmers of the state are in distress. Keeping their problems in mind, I request your government to provide the correct price for the crops.”
Farmers staged a massive protest in Lucknow on Wednesday morning against the decision of the BJP government to not raise the MSP of sugarcane. They also demanded immediate release of their dues. The Bharatiya Kisan Union has extended its support to the agitation.
The MSP of sugarcane for the 2019-20 crushing season has been fixed at Rs 315 per quintal. It was increased by Rs 10 for the last time during the crushing season of 2017-18 after Adityanath took charge as the chief minister of the state. Farmers have been demanding that the MSP of sugarcane be increased to Rs 400 per quintal.
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