Farmers in Haryana shut sugar mills to seek better rates

JIND/KARNAL: Farmers in Haryana, who have been on a protest for the past fortnight to seek an increase in price paid by mills for sugar, on Friday locked the gates of sugar mills in the state indefinitely.

At a mill in Jind, they locked the gate, hoisted BKU flags atop it and pitched a tent in front of the mill. Farmers have announced the gate will be blocked permanently till their demands are not met.

Farmers and activists of BKU (Charuni) held a protest outside mills in Karnal and Panipat districts and did not allow any tractor-trailers to enter mills. Ajay Rana, Karnal district president of BKU Charuni, said the government is yet to announce the SAP for 2022-23, leading to resentment among the cane growers.

Protesters in Jind claimed that farmers in Punjab were being paid Rs 380 per quintal, but they were getting just Rs 362 per quintal. They sought a price of Rs 450 per quintal.

BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni said, “If sugarcane SAP is not increased by January 22, the next strategy will be made in a meeting in Kurukshetra on January 23.”