The government of Captain Amarinder Singh of Punjab has increased the State Support Price (SAP) of sugarcane farmers. The Chief Minister announced that he is happy to inform that after meeting the farmers, the SAP of sugarcane has been increased to Rs 360 per quintal. Patting the back of his government, he said that it is committed to the welfare of farmers. Let us tell you that ahead of the farmers’ meeting with the Punjab Chief Minister on sugarcane prices, Congress’s Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu had said on Tuesday that the prices of sugarcane should be increased immediately according to the demands of the sugarcane farmers.
The Chief Minister shared a picture with the farmers in which farmers are feeding them sweets. He said, “Happy to inform that after consultation with farmers, SAP has been approved for sugarcane @ Rs 360 per quintal. My government is committed to the welfare of our farmers. Jai Kisan, Jai Jawan! “
Sidhu had also said that the State Support Price (SAP) of sugarcane has not been increased since 2018 while its cost price has increased by 30 per cent. The farmers’ protest for their demands continues for the fifth day on Tuesday and rail services and road traffic have been affected by these demonstrations.
Sidhu had tweeted, “SAP for sugarcane farmers has not increased since 2018, while the cost price has increased by more than 30 percent. The Punjab model means policy interventions to diversify production and processing at fair prices, equal share of profits, to give higher returns to farmers and sugar mills.
Sidhu had said in another tweet, “According to the demands of the farmers, the SAP should be increased immediately and the arrears should be paid. Sugar mills should be modernized for high productivity and high value byproducts like ethanol, biofuels and electricity etc. to increase the profits of both farmers and sugar mills.
A day before this tweet, Sidhu had said that sugarcane prices in Punjab are lower than Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand despite higher cost price. He had demanded better prices for the farmers of the state.