Farmers block traffic over delay in payment from Yamunanagar sugar mill

YAMUNANAGAR: Upset over delay in payment for sugarcane by a sugar mill in Yamunanagar, hundreds of farmers blocked the Yamunanagar-Saharanpur highway for two hours on Monday. On the other hand, the mill officials said the factory was going through a financial crisis and couldn't clear the dues of farmers unless it got assistance from the state government.
Farmers kept sitting on the road, blocking traffic on the highway that connects northern Haryana with parts of western Uttar Pradesh. They lifted their blockade after the intervention of the district administration. "Where will farmers go if the payment is not made on time for supplying sugarcane? Sugar mill authorities are saying payments can not be settled unless they get assistance from the government. The government can spare time for various works but it has no time for farmers," alleged Babu Ram, president, Yamunanagar unit of Bharatiya Kisan Union.
"The mill is running into losses. There is a loss of around Rs 700 per quintal for selling sugar. It is very difficult to maintain balance in such a scenario. Sugar is being sold Rs 2,700 per quintal in market and it costs the mill around Rs 3,400 per quintal. One can easily imagine how difficult it is to run the mill," said S K Sachdeva, chief executive officer, Sarswati Sugar Mills.