Compounding the crop loss farmers suffer due to lack of rain in Vellore district is the delay in settlement of dues by sugar mill owners. Several farmers, particularly sugarcane growers, questioned the delay in payment of dues.
Normally, a meeting is organised to discuss the issues with elected representatives as well as the District Collector. This time the meeting could not take place as the Model Code of Conduct was in force.
Speaking to The Hindu , R. Muniyappan, a farmer from Ammoor, said dues were pending for the cane supplied to the sugar mill. “But the mill authorities are saying that the government is yet to release the funds,” he complained.
Three or four factories in Vellore district procured sugarcane from farmers based on the certification and schedule prepared by officials. They received four and half lakh tonnes of sugarcane from farmers at ₹ 2,812 per tonne.
The State Advisory Price (SAP) for sugarcane payable to farmers is due from the State government for the past three years, said R. Subash, another farmer. They had been raising the issue of delay in releasing the dues for the last one year, but to no avail.
While salaries for mill employees were being disbursed promptly, farmers were not getting their dues, he said.
