The Hindu : Front Page : Rs.2,500 per tonne of sugarcane sought

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Rs.2,500 per tonne of sugarcane sought

A.V. Ragunathan

— Photo: C. Venkatachalapathy

PROTEST: AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa addressing a demonstration in Villupuram on Saturday.

VILLUPURAM: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa, leading a demonstration here on Saturday to highlight the problems of sugarcane farmers, alleged that sugarcane cultivation in Tamil Nadu was facing an uncertain future owing to anti-farmer policies of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government. “In many districts, farmers have burnt down the standing crop because they could not get remunerative prices.”

She was participating in a public protest outside Chennai after a gap of more than two years.

Ms. Jayalalithaa demanded Rs.2,500 per tonne of sugarcane, besides urging the State government to direct mills to bear cutting charges. Clad in black, she arrived in a helicopter. She peppered her speech and slogans with M.G.R. (M.G. Ramachandran) film songs, to drive home the point that the DMK government had let down farmers. Stating that sugar production in the State had come down from 21.38 lakh tonnes in 2005-06 to 16.16 lakh tonnes in 2008-09, she said lower production would create a vicious cycle. “The State will be forced to import sugar and this, in turn, will jack up the market price and severely affect the common man.”

Explaining measures taken during her regime to provide succour to sugarcane farmers, Ms. Jayalalithaa said when the Centre had announced Statutory Minimum Price of Rs.795 per tonne, she offered State Advisory Price of Rs.210. This enabled farmers to get Rs.1,014 per tonne of sugarcane.

When sugar price was Rs.1,250 per quintal in open market, her government had offered Rs.1,014 per tonne of sugarcane. “Now the market price of sugar has increased to Rs.4,000 per quintal but the present government is giving only Rs.1,437.40 per tonne of sugarcane.”

During her rule the price of sugar in open market ranged between Rs.12.50 and Rs.14 per kg. At times, the open market price was less than the price in fair price shops.

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