Farmers to block traffic in Dasuya on Aug 29

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, August 22

Members of Pagri Sambhal Jatta Lehar and Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee would block road and rail traffic in Dasuya on August 29 if demands of sugercane growers are not met.

Pagri Sambhal Jatta Lehar president Jangveer Singh and Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee president Manjit Singh Rai announced this during a press conference.

Members of these organisations said the state government had agreed to pay Rs 50 per quintal to farmers in addition to the price of sugarcane paid by mills.

They said that from December 1 last year to January 15 this year, the paments were paid but after that payments amounting to Rs 226 crore were pending.

They demanded that the MSP of sugarcane, which has not been revised from five years, should be raised to Rs 375. Their other major demand was to give the status of “early crop” to Variety CO 238 as declaring it “mid crop” was causing a loss of over Rs 6,000 per acre, they said.