Bijnor: Sugarcane farmers are a disappointed lot in the state. While more than a dozen sugar mills across Uttar Pradesh have started crushing, state government is yet to announce any revision in state advised price (SAP) of cane. Save promises, little has been done to clear the Rs 7,000 crore that mills owe as dues to farmers for the previous crushing season.According to sources, of the 119 sugar mills, around 17 sugar mills have started crushing cane. These mills have started purchasing cane from farmers but do not know if the SAP will be revised by the government for this crushing seasonA coordination meeting over sugarcane price was held in Lucknow on Monday in which sugarcane authorities, farmer representatives and mill authorities participated. Both farmers and mill authorities raised their problems and demands at the meeting, it is learnt.Talking with TOI, additional cane commissioner VK Shukla said, “A meeting was held for state advised price for sugarcane. Farmers have demanded that the price be revised from Rs 325 to Rs 350 per quintal and on-time payment for cane by the mills. On the other hand, mill authorities have raised their concerns, saying that sugar price is very low and SAP should not be increased. Mill authorities have put forth a condition that if SAP is hiked, minimum sugar price should also be raised as per the ratio of SAP. It was a meeting for taking views of both farmers and mill authorities over cane price. The SAP will be announced soon.”Last year, SAP for cane was Rs 325 per quintal for early variety and Rs 315 for general variety. Sugar prices nosedived and later, government had announced a minimum price of Rs 2,900 per quintal to control the sugar market. Though quota for sale was set for all mills as per UP’s sugar reservation, mills failed to clear the dues.According to sources, government is in a dilemma as general elections are due next year — if SAP is hiked, mills will not be able to pay due to low sugar prices. They have already shown an inability to clear last season’s dues. At the same time, the demands of farmers cannot be ignored. There are 40 lakh farmers with around 27 lakh hectares under cane cultivation in UP.Interestingly, RSS-affiliated outfit, Rashtriya Kisan Sang, has demanded Rs 400 per quintal as SAP.When TOI contacted state president of Kisan Morcha of BJP Raja Verma, he declined to speak about SAP. He said, “We are running the government, how can we can speak over this issue. Our government is trying its best for the development and welfare of farmers.”

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