Farmers in the region are disappointed with the State Government saying its support has been lacking in recovering dues on account of State Advisory Price from sugar mills.
The farmers who are already upset with the Central Government's retention of Rs. 2,300 per tonne as fair and remunerative price wonder why the State government was "reluctant" to help out farmers in the prevailing drought-like situation by securing the pending dues running into hundreds of crores from the 28 mills, despite the start of crushing season.
In addition to the FRP, the mills were required to pay the farmers Rs. 350 per tonne during the last crushing season. The dues from the 28 mills on account of failure to settle SAP has accumulated to the extent of Rs. 1,000 crores over the last three years, K.V. Ponnaiyan, president of Tamil Nadu Swadeshi Farmers' Association said.
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The government has to ensure settlement of SAP by the erring mills rather than resorting to arrest of farmers who stage demonstrations for getting their pending dues, Mr. Ponnaiyan said, referring to the recent arrest of cane growers at Chennai.