With most of the sugar mills starting their operation, the sugarcane crushing season for the year 2012-13 has commenced in Uttarakhand, though the government is yet to take a decision on the state advised price (SAP) for cane.
“We will wait for Uttar Pradesh to declare its SAP,” said S S Rawat, sugarcane secretary, adding all the mills in the public as well as the private sector have started their normal operation. On various roads and highways in Haridwar and Udhamsingh districts, farmers are being seen carrying sugarcane on their bullock carts to reach various mills.
Though Uttarakhand had set up an expert committee on the SAP, its report would not be of any use since the SAP is mostly driven by the price declared by neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. “We just blindly follow Uttar Pradesh and the report of such expert committee becomes redundant,” said an official of the cane department.
Top officials said the crushing season will gain momentum only after the declaration of the crushing season.
Uttarakhand generally waits for neighbouring states, particularly Uttar Pradesh, for the announcement of its SAP. During the past few years, Uttarakhand had been giving Rs 5-10 price higher than that by Uttar Pradesh. Last year, Uttarakhand’s SAP was Rs 250-255 per quintal which was Rs 10 higher than Uttar Pradesh’s.
Rawat also said the SAP this season is likely to be 5 to 10 per cent higher than the previous year’s price.
Resentment had been growing among farmers against non-declaration of SAP during the past one month. Farmers are demanding that SAP should be more than Rs 250 per quintal.
