TN govt exploiting sugarcane farmers on price: Ramadoss
Trichy: While the Punjab government has announced a purchase price of `3,910 per tonne of sugarcane during the current crushing season, which is the highest in the country, PMK founder S Ramadoss has condemned the Tamil Nadu government for paying only `2,919 per tonne to its farmers, the lowest price for sugarcane in the country.
Punjab has increased the procurement price to 3,910 from3,800 per tonne following protests by sugarcane farmers in the state.
It was announced that the system of additional price recommendations, abolished in the previous AIADMK regime, would be reinstated in the DMK regime. However, the Tamil Nadu government has not only failed to do that but has also not yet announced the incentive of Rs 195 per tonne, usually given until last year, for the current year, accused Ramadoss.
The Haryana government is paying 3,860 per tonne, and the Uttar Pradesh government has also increased the price to3,750. Therefore, the fact that the purchase price is set so low only in Tamil Nadu is an act of exploiting the farmers.
Around 2.08 crore tonnes of sugarcane is produced annually in Tamil Nadu.
If it is assumed that 1,000 is being exploited per tonne from the farmers of Tamil Nadu, the total exploited amount will come to around2,080 crore per year, he stated.
