Sugarcane farmers’ protest which led to the blockade of Jalandhar-Delhi National Highway now has come to end as Capt Amarinder Singh’s government accepted their demands. The
state administration has approved another hike in the state agreed price (SAP) of Rs 35 per quintal for the crushing season 2021-22.
Today, after a meeting between farmer leaders and Capt, it was decided that farmers will now receive Rs 360 per quintal, which is Rs 2 more than Haryana.
The announcement was made by the Media advisor to Punjab CM Capt Amrinder Singh. “Conceding the demand of sugarcane farmers, Punjab CM @capt_amarinder has approved another hike of
Rs 35 per quintal in state agreed price (SAP) for crushing season 2021-22. The farmers will now get Rs 360 per quintal - Rs 2 higher than neighbouring Haryana,” read the tweet by Mr Thukral’s official Twitter handle.
Capt himself took to social media and said, “I am happy to announce that after consultation with our sugarcane farmers, SAP has been approved for Rs 360 per quintal for sugarcane.”
“My government aims to increase sugarcane production and improve sugar recovery in Punjab as a part of entire crop diversity efforts, Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan!” concluded CM Amarinder
Singh.
Farmers in the Doaba and Majha cane belts were protesting since August 20, demanding a hike in crop prices. The farmers' leaders claimed that the Punjab administration did not increase
cane prices in the last five years.
Also Read: Punjab Ministers demand action against Sidhu’s aides over anti-national and pro-Pak comments
Earlier, the government had hiked the price to Rs 15 but this only agitated farmers, forcing them to stage indefinite protests near Dhannowali gate.
The matter was resolved during a meeting of farmer union leaders with the Chief Minister here this afternoon, during which Captain Amarinder, while agreeing to the SAP hike, said the state’s
fiscal situation had prevented adequate increase in SAP for the past 3-4 years. The farmer 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 from increasing SAP earlier, he said, adding that 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 farmer 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.
Besides Rajewal, Manjit Singh Rai, the Morcha representatives at the meeting included Kulwant Singh Sandhu, Harmeet Kadia, Jangvir Singh Chauhan, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, Mukesh Chander,
Kuldeep Wajidpur, Baldev Singh Sirsa, Baldev Singh Dupper and Balwinder Aulakh.
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, Dr Raj Kumar Verka, Fatehjang Singh Bajwa, Navtej Singh Cheema and Sushil Kumar Rinku, as well as Chairman Punjab Mandi Board Lal Singh, Chairman Sugarfed Amrik Singh Aliwal. Additional Chief Secretary Development Anirudh
Tiwari, Financial Commissioner Cooperation, K Siva Prasad, Principal Secretary to CM Tejvir Singh, Commissioner Agriculture Balwinder Singh Sidhu and Cane Commissioner Gurvinder Singh were also present.