A two-day national-level conference of sugarcane growers will be organised on May 24 by the Farmers’ Association of Karnataka and Sugarcane Growers’ Association.
“The meet has been convened to discuss the open market policy for sugar decided by the government,” said Kuruburu Shanthakumar, president of the sugarcane growers’ association.
Based on the recommendations of a panel headed by C. Rangarajan, advisor to Prime Minister for economic affairs, the government recently decided to decontrol the sugar industry, thus giving freedom to millers to sell in the open market.
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Millers now also do not need to supply sugar at subsidised rates to ration shops.
The conference has been called to deliberate on the pros and cons of the Union government’s decision.
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Over 1,000 delegates comprising sugarcane growers and office-bearers of the associations related to the sugar industry from Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Uttaranchal and Karnataka will participate.
Dignitaries
Mr. Shanthakumar said that Mr. Rangarajan is expected to attend the conference.
The former Union Minister M.V. Rajasekharan, Minister for Sugar Prakash B. Hukkeri, Minister of State for Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda and Commissioner for Directorate of Sugar and Sugarcane Development K.S. Satyamurthy will take part in the conference.