Punjab farmers are seeking a level-playing field for the revision of State Assured Price (SAP) for sugarcane crop.
The SAP for the fine variety of sugarcane in Uttar Pradesh is Rs 290 per quintal, in Haryana Rs 276 per quintal and is Rs 250 a quintal in Punjab.
On Sunday, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced a hike of Rs 45 a quintal for all varieties of sugarcane after a meeting with representatives of various organisations in the national capital.
The farmers’ unions are demanding the Punjab chief minister intervene as the state is offering the lowest SAP for sugarcane.
Hooda announced for the crushing season 2012-13, the rate of early variety of sugarcane would now be Rs 276 as against the last year’s price of Rs 231 per quintal.
Similarly the rate of mid variety would be Rs 271 instead of Rs 226 per quintal and that of late variety Rs 266 instead of Rs 221 per quintal.
The Punjab government has fixed the State Agreed Price (SAP) of advanced, medium and late variety of Sugarcane at Rs 250, Rs 240 and Rs 235 per quintal respectively for the crushing season of 2012-13. It may be recalled that for the 2011-12 crushing season, the state government fixed the SAP of advanced, medium and late variety of sugarcane at Rs 230, Rs 225 and Rs 220 per quintal respectively. It may be further recalled that the state government had fixed the SAP of advanced, medium and late variety of Sugarcane at Rs 200, Rs 195 and Rs 190 per quintal for the crushing season of 2010-11.
