Cane farmers demand release of Rs 21 cr arrears

TIRUCHY: Sugarcane farmers staged a protest in Thanjavur on Saturday against Aringar Anna Sugar Mill demanding to release the arrear amount of Rs 21 crore.

According to the farmers, since the Kurungulam Arignar Anna Sugar Mill has not released the arrear of Rs 21 crore for the 2021-22 season, the banks hesitate to provide loans fearing the default of loans. They demanded to release the amount immediately as the farmers have been awaiting for the amount so that they can carry on with the current season of cultivation.

“The state government should sanction more funds to the Arignar Anna Sugar Mills with which the sugar factory can disburse the pending amount to the farmers,” said Sugarcane Farmers Association president P Ramasamy who led the protest.

He urged the government to release the special incentive of Rs 195 per tonne of sugarcane, which was announced in the previous budget. They also demanded the fixation of Rs 4,000 per tonne as per the election promise.

Meanwhile, the farmers charged that several MT sugar has been stagnated at each sugar factory due to the centralised sugar procurement policy. The Union government should relax the policy and allow the state government to sell the sugar which was in practice previously, the farmers claimed.

They announced to intensify the protest if the money has not been disbursed.