Sugarcane SAP to be raised by 3pc in UP

The Uttar Pradesh government has approved about 3 per cent hike in state advisory price (SAP) of sugarcane for 2017-18 crushing season, official sources said.

The approval was given by the state cabinet at its meeting here last night chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the sources said.

Earlier, a government order declaring SAP was issued in this regard on October 26, a day before the notification of local bodies polls was to be issued, but the cabinet nod was pending.

Sugarcane is a major cash crop in the state where over 40 lakh rural households are engaged in cane farming and the decision is considered significant in the light of the ongoing civic poll exercise.
 

The crop is a politically sensitive issue, especially in Western UP.

The government has increased SAP by Rs 10 per quintal for different varieties of the crop.

The new prices for common variety has been fixed at Rs 315 per quintal against Rs 305 per quintal last year and the price of early maturing and unsuitable cane variety is now Rs 325 and Rs 310 per quintal respectively - rates of both increased by Rs 10 per quintal.

It has also been decided that payment to farmers will be given in one instalment by sugar mills.

Relaxation has also been given to farmers on transportation charges of sugarcane to mills.

Cane growers will have extra Rs 1,060 crore income due to the government's decision, officials said.

The state government this season is targetting sugar production of almost 10 million tonnes (MT), which would be 15 per cent higher compared to the output of nearly 8.75 MT clocked during 2016-17.

The Samajwadi Party, which is the main opposition party in the state, termed the decision of hiking SAP by Rs 10 as "unjust" and anti-farmer.

"The state government had earlier befooled farmers in the name of loan waiver and now by increasing SAP by meagre Rs 10 is injustice to them. This shows insensitiveness of the government towards cane growers," SP MLC Rajpal Kashyap said.