BHUBANESWAR | Monday, November 2, 2009 | Email | Print | 
Farmers flay Govt for cubs on sugarcane sale
PNS | Bhubaneswar
With cases of farmers’ suicides on rise in the State, the Agriculture Department is once again on the dock for reasons that could have been easily avoided. The department is still undecided whether the restrictions imposed on farmers for sale of sugarcane would continue or be withdrawn.
In these columns, the Government policy on sugarcane farmers had first appeared. Curiously enough, the Nayagarh Sugar Mill Complex, which had been deferring payments to the farmers, suddenly woke up to clear arrears with great alacrity. The swiftness, with which the sugar mill responded, was probably due to the Government's pressure.
Sources said that the Government's action was to promote sick sugar mills which were closed down due to mismanagement. The policy envisages to support the crippling sugar industry, but at the cost of the farmers. Nowhere in the country is such restrictive regulation in force, not even in the biggest sugarcane farming States of UP and Maharashtra.
The farmers of Balipatna block near Bhubaneswar are once again up in arms against the restrictions, and flay the lack of attention to the farming sector by the Government. The farmers say the insensitivity of the Government would lead to a situation where they would forego their cultivation of the cash rich crop, and ultimately defeat the Government's purpose in promoting sugar mills for lack of raw material. They say that compared to the last year's output in their Block, sugarcane cultivation has come down by 60 per cent. The rest 40 per cent cultivation would also fall if the Government does not rescind its policy.
In the meanwhile, the Government has called for a report on the complaints of the farmers, but a decision is awaited. Decision on the report, bound in red tape would take time to come and a delayed decision would affect the farmers even if their demands are accepted, in view of the harvesting of sugarcane, which is due in the first and second week of November. If the decision comes after the harvesting it would not benefit the farmers as by that time they would have sold their produce to the Nayagarh Sugar Mill.
The farmers contend that before the Government approves a particular mill for procurement of sugarcane, it has to ensure that payments and other formalities are adhered to. Hoping for a decision from the Government, they wait with baited breath as the harvesting season draws nearer.
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