Jayalalithaa criticises sugarcane pricing policy

Chennai, Nov 6: AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa Friday criticised the central government's sugar cane policy and asked the Tamil Nadu government to clarify its position on the cane procurement price in the state.

"The Tamil Nadu government should now make it clear whether it would pay higher amount or stick to the centre's newly announced fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane," Jayalalithaa, also the leader of opposition in the state, said.

The central government in its Oct 23 ordinance had introduced the new pricing policy for sugarcane and said if the state advised price (SAP) is higher than the FRP, the state governments will have to pay the excess amount.

This, according to sugarcane farmers, will discourage states from announcing higher prices.

The new pricing policy encroaches on the rights of the states in fixing remunerative prices for the farmers, said Jayalalithaa.

The government has announced an FRP of Rs.1,298.40 per tonne of cane, whereas the SAP in Tamil Nadu has been fixed at Rs.1,437.40.

"Now with the FRP coming into force, cane farmers in the state will get Rs.139 less than the SAP per tonne," Jayalalithaa said.

She further urged the state government to announce a procurement price of Rs.1,658.20 per tonne.

--IANS