Punjab's sugarcane farmers withdraw stir as CM hikes price

Chandigarh, Aug 24 (IANS) Punjab's sugarcane farmers on Tuesday withdrew their agitation in response to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's announcement of a Rs 35 per quintal hike in the state agreed price (SAP) for cane crushing season 2021-22, taking the price to Rs 360 per quintal, Rs 2 higher than in neighbouring Haryana.

The matter was resolved during a meeting of farmers union leaders with the Chief Minister here, during which Amarinder Singh, while agreeing to the SAP hike, said the state's fiscal situation had prevented adequate increase in the SAP for the past three-four years.

The farmers union leaders had earlier pointed out that Punjab had failed to hike sugarcane SAP in proportion to Haryana over this period, causing fiscal losses to them.

The Chief Minister said the farmers were not to blame for the problem, which was caused by Punjab's poor finances. While he was always with the farmers and wanted to do his best for their welfare, the state's fiscal crisis had prevented him for increasing SAP earlier, he said, adding balancing the needs of the farmers with those of the cooperative and private sugar mill owners was tough, given the prevailing fiscal situation.

Rana Gurjit Singh, who is himself a sugar mill owner besides being Congress MLA in Punjab, supported the farmers' demand for increase in SAP.

The farmers union leaders, representing the Sanjha Kisan Morcha which has been spearheading the sugarcane farmers' agitation for the past several days, thanked the Chief Minister for addressing their problem and announcing the SAP hike.

They also expressed their appreciation for the Rs 5 lakh compensation and jobs to one family member each of the Punjab farmers who have lost their lives in the ongoing protest against the farm Laws at the Delhi border.

Elated with the Chief Minister's response to their demand, the morcha representatives, including Balbir Singh Rajjewal, also offered him sweets.

The Chief Minister was joined by Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, along with MPs Preneet Kaur and Partap Singh Bajwa, MLAs Rana Gurjit Singh, Raj Kumar Verka, Fatehjang Singh Bajwa, Navtej Singh Cheema and Sushil Kumar Rinku, as well as Chairman of Punjab Mandi Board Lal Singh, Chairman Sugarfed Amrik Singh Aliwal.