Cong leader cautions against decontrol of sugar sector

NEW DELHI: A senior Congress leader from Maharashtra has cautioned the Centre against taking any move to decontrol the sugar sector, saying this would severely affect sugarcane farmers.

"This (decontrol the sector) will probably be the most disastrous step for the sugar industry and completely destroy the sugarcane farmers," Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee's consumer affairs committee president Kanhaiyalal Gidwani said in a statement.

He said the government must study the consequences before taking any steps in the direction of decontrolling sugar.

"Currently, sugarcane farmers all over the country are in a very precarious situation and if the government does not act in a well thought and planned manner, the farmers will be left in the lurch, facing an impending doom," he said.

At present, the government controls sugar sector and issues the release order every month for sale through the public distribution system and in the open market.