Uttarakhand sugar mills oppose SAP

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A group of sugar mills in Uttarakhand has filed a petition in the Nainital High Court challenging the state advised price (SAP) for sugarcane which has been fixed at Rs 250-255 a quintal by the state government.

“Notices have already been issued on the writ petition,” a top official of the sugarcane department said. Confirming the petition, an official of the Rai Bahadur Narain Singh Sugar Mills Ltd at Laksar said almost all the private sugar mills have challenged the SAP but refused to give more details.

In the petition, the mill owners have claimed that they were unable to pay the SAP due to weak market conditions.

The state government in November announced the SAP for the normal and early varieties at Rs 250 and Rs 255 per quintal respectively which is Rs 5 more than that of Uttar Pradesh. After the announcement of the SAP, all the 10 sugar mills in the state have started their crushing season also.

Experts said the announcement of SAP at Rs 250-255 was on expected lines as Uttarakhand’s price is always more than that of Uttar Pradesh’s. The resentment had been growing among farmers against non-declaration of SAP during the past few months. Farmers were demanding SAP around Rs 250. Last year, the SAP was Rs 210-215.

Meanwhile, the government has also released Rs 35 crore to pay the dues of cane growers in the state. “As of now, all the dues of the farmers have been paid by the government,” said the official.

BS