Chavan said in Pune on Monday that the state government was in talks with the agitating farmers and a 'practical' solution would be found to end the stalemate.
Even as hundreds of sugarcane growers marched into Baramati in a padyatra led by MP Raju Shetty of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana on Monday demanding higher procurement prices by sugar factories, there is hope of a solution.
Chief minister Prithiviraj Chavan said in Pune on Monday that the state government was in talks with the agitating farmers and a 'practical' solution would be found to end the stalemate.
The agitating farmers had reached Baramati after a six-day journey on foot they undertook from Pandharpur in Solapur district. Tight security was in place as Shetty appealed to Pawar to resolve the issue to work out a price hike for cane growers.
Shetty's Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana is demanding a procurement price of Rs2,350 per tonne for sugarcane growers, who supply the crop to sugar factories in the state.
Chavan said farmers could be paid more for sugarcane crop if sugar fetched more price in the market. Chavan said sugar factories were bound by rule to pay to cane growers in three installments for the purchases of the crop and erring units would attract necessary action under the law.
In the wake of the agitation by sugarcane growers in the state, Chavan has said that the state has asked the Centre for permission to export 20 lakh tonnes of sugar so that the sugarcane growers get a fair price. He also warned that the mills which do not pay the fair price, will face action.
Chavan said that the what price the sugarcane growers get is also dependent on the sale and price of sugar.
"We have therefore appealed to the central government to allow export of 20 lakh tonnes of sugar so that the sugarcane growers get the fair price. We have got permission for 10 lakh tonnes and we are trying for more,'' he added. He said the issue should be sorted out by discussions.
He also maintained that the mills ought to pay the fair price. Action will be taken against those mills which do not pay the given price to farmers will face action. The government agrees that the farmers should get the full payment in three installments, he said.
(with agency inputs)
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