Increase sugarcane procurement price: PMK urges state and central govts

CHENNAI: Pointing out that the procurement price of sugarcane is not sufficient to meet the cultivation cost, PMK founder S Ramadoss urged the state and central governments to increase the procurement price to make farming profitable.

In his statement, the senior leader said that the central government has fixed Rs. 2,919 per tonne of sugarcane as procurement price. "This will not will not meet the cultivation cost. During a meeting headed by prime minister Modi, prices has been fixed based on the sugar content. For 9.50 per cent sugar content, Rs. 2,919 has been fixed. As sugarcane grown in Tamil Nadu would have 9.50 per cent sugar content usually, they will get only Rs. 2,919 per tonne," he said.

He added that Rs. 2,821 per tonne was given for Tamil Nadu sugarcane the previous year. Only Rs. 98 has been increased this year. The central government has estimated the cultivation cost of per tonne sugarcane is only Rs. 1,570 and announced that 100.60 procurement price has been fixed.

"It is unclear on what basis the government arrived cultivation costs. As per as Coimbatore Agricultural University's estimation made three years ago, cultivation cost of one tonne sugarcane is Rs. 2,985. Even if 5 per cent additional price given, farmers should have received around Rs. 3,500," he added.

Ramadoss alleged that the state government also failed to help farmers. Before 2016-17, the state government was providing Rs. 650 per tonne as incentive to sugarcane farmers. Now the incentive have reduced to Rs. 195 per tonne.

"The government should increase the procurement price to Rs. 5,250 per tonne considering the cultivation cost as Rs. 3,500," he urged.