Crushing hit as sugarcane farmers launch protest over wage delay

PUNE: Maharashtra sugarcane farmers, who haven’t been paid even two months after the start of crushing, have launched protests to press for their money. This has disrupted crushing in the state but millers are firm that they cannot pay the whole fair and remunerative price (FRP) fixed by the central government in one installment. Meanwhile, sugar prices have jumped more than 11% in less than a week.

At a meeting in Nagpur on Dec 11, the state’s top politician-cumsugar-barons, private industry representatives and farmers’ organisations agreed on an 80:20 formula to resolve the deadlock over cane payment. Farmers’ representatives agreed to accept 80% of FRP now and 20% later.

However, as some sugar mills in Kolhapur paid less than 80% of the FRP, the Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathan stopped harvesting cane in many areas from Monday.

“We launched the agitation because millers did not respect their own word of making a payment of 80% of the FRP,” said Raju Shetty, founder leader of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathana. “With sugar prices increasing to Rs 29 per kg and a high recovery prevailing in Kolhapur region, sugar mills can pay FRP.” Shetty said Dalmia Sugar Mill in Kolhapur was allowed to resume operations after the management gave an undertaking that it would pay 80% of FRP. “We will stop the agitation when millers pay 80% of FRP,” Shetty said.

As of November 30, cane payment dues in Maharashtra were Rs 1,281.16 crore, of which millers paid Rs 25.31 crore. The arrears thus stood at Rs 1,255.85 crore on November 30.