Haryana increases price of sugarcane by Rs 12 per quintal, to pay more than Punjab now

Agriculture Minister, JP Dalal, while announcing the price hike on Thursday for the 2021-22 crushing season, added that the revised prices would effectively mean that Haryana will now be the state paying the highest for sugarcane in the entire country, even more than Punjab's Rs 360 per quintal.

Haryana on Thursday announced that it will increase the price of sugarcane by Rs 12 per quintal, taking it to Rs 362 per quintal, after a nod for the same was received from state Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Agriculture Minister, JP Dalal, while announcing the price hike on Thursday for the 2021-22 crushing season, added that the revised prices would effectively mean that Haryana will now be the state paying the highest for sugarcane in the entire country, even more than Punjab’s Rs 360 per quintal.

“The price of sugarcane has been increased after the approval of the Chief Minister to protect the interests of farmers in the state. The situation of sugarcane farmers, sugarcane mills, sugar prices, and other matters was discussed in a meeting on Thursday. As per the decision taken, Rs 362 per quintal will be provided for early maturing varieties of sugarcane, while Rs 355 per quintal will be provided for late-maturing varieties of sugarcane, which was Rs 340 per quintal earlier,” Dalal told media persons on Thursday after the meeting.

“Due to the poor quality of sugarcane last year, the recovery of all private and cooperative sugar mills has been depreciated by 0.34. The recovery has decreased from 10.58 to 10.24. It has been observed that the variety of sugarcane being sown these days — like 0238 — is riddled with diseases. Therefore, agricultural scientists have developed a new variety — christened 15023 — of sugarcane after discussing it with the scientists of the Union government and Haryana Agricultural University. The sugar recovery from the sugarcane currently being sown is generally around 10.50 per cent, while the expected recovery of newly developed variety — 15023 — is around 14 per cent. Efforts will be made to reach this variety to the farmers at the earliest and 30 per cent increase in sugarcane production is expected. Besides farmers, the sugar mills and the state government will also get benefits after the introduction of the new variety”, Dalal added.

Talking about operation timings,of sugarcane mills Dalal added, “This time, all sugar mills have been directed to operate in the first week of November so that farmers can get their crops crushed on time. Farmers would get more profit by running the sugar mills early and they would be able to sow their next crop. This time more sugarcane will be allotted to all sugar mills as compared to last year and the capacity of the mills will not be reduced. Haryana is excelling in sugarcane production. We have made 100 per cent payment to all sugar mills, except one in Naraingarh. The state government has been making every possible effort to provide timely payment to the farmers”.

Comparing rate of sugarcane in Haryana with Punjab, the agriculture minister said, “Haryana would probably be the only state which has been using its budget for the payment of farmers. In this direction, a subsidy of Rs 192 crore was provided last year to revive the mills from losses. Price of sugarcane in Punjab was Rs 310 for the last 4 years which has now been increased by Rs 50 due to the upcoming assembly elections in the state.”.

Farmers in Punjab had launched an agitation last month and blocked a national highway and rail tracks in Jalandhar to demand an increase in sugarcane prices, while claiming that their production cost had spiralled considerably. The protest was finally lifted after Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, approved a hike of Rs 35 per quintal in the state assured price (SAP) of sugarcane after a meeting with farmer leaders on August 24.

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