Sugarcane stir
UP farmers demand payment, power
sugarcane farmers of Uttar Pradesh have been on a sit-in protest at the Baraut block office in Baghpat district since September 5. Led by the Bhartiya Kisan Union, they are demanding payment of arrears by sugar mills for the last season (2007-08) and a higher price for sugarcane.
While the farmers wanted Rs 1,650 per tonne of the crop, mill owners agreed to pay Rs 1,120 per tonne. The stand-off was partially resolved on October 18, when the Uttar Pradesh government increased the state advised price for the current season to Rs 1,400 per tonne for the common sugarcane variety.