Cabinet Minister in the Uttar Pradesh government Suresh Rana on Friday said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath would hold further talks with farmer outfits and their delegation before finalising an increase in the procurement price for sugar cane.
The assurance by Mr. Rana, Minister for Sugarcane Development and Sugar Mills, comes two days before the scheduled mahapanchayat called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a body of farmer unions leading protests around the national capital for the last eight months, in Muzaffarnagar on September 5.
Mr. Rana reiterated the promise made by Mr. Adityanath recently that his government would hike the procurement price for cane after discussions with all stakeholders.
Mr. Rana, addressing a press briefing, said talks at the Cane Commissioner and Chief Secretary level had concluded and pointed out that the Chief Minister had also met cane farmers recently in Lucknow and took inputs from them.
The Chief Minister wanted to hold talks with more farmer outfits and delegations, said Mr. Rana. He said the government would provide farmers with a “good price” after analysing all aspects.
“Farmers are on our main agenda,” said the Minister.
The BJP government’s assurances of hiking the procurement price for cane, along with withdrawing cases lodged against farmers for burning stubble, come at a time farmer outfits in western Uttar Pradesh are protesting against the three new farm laws.
