Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta vowed to solve problems of sugar mills and sugarcane farmers by the third week of January.
Taking time in the meeting of the National Assembly today, he informed that the sugar mills have been directed to clear their dues. “The government has formed a task force that will submit its report to the government within 15 days,” he said, adding that the discussions have also been held between the representatives of sugar mills and sugarcane farmers. “The mills have been instructed to immediately pay the dues they owe to the farmers.”
He also said that the government is serious regarding the 11-point demands of the sugarcane farmers, whereas it is also facilitating in the purchase and sale of sugar that the mill owners have in their store.
Bhatta also informed the National Assembly that customs levied on import of sugar has been increased by 40 per cent and importation of this commodity has been prohibited to help mill owners sell their stock of sugar.
The lawmakers, on the occasion, also suggested him to seek a long-term solution as the problem between the farmers and mill owners have been recurring every year. Earlier this week, the sugarcane farmers from various parts of Tarai districts assembled and started a stage sit-in at the Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu to pressurise the government.
The communist government with a comfortable majority is steering the nation, and the farmers are staging the protest against the government that claims to be championing for the cause farmers and labourers.
Agitating farmers claim that Annapurna Sugar Mills needs to pay a total of Rs 500 million, while Mahalaxmi Sugar Mills owes them Rs 210 million. The government has fixed minimum support price for a quintal of sugarcane at Rs 536.56. Of the total amount, sugar mills should pay Rs 471.28 per quintal, while Rs 65.28 is to be paid by the government as subsidy.
Earlier yesterday, during a meeting with sugarcane farmers held at the Industry Ministry, deputy prime minister Ishwar Pokharel, industry minister Lekhraj Bhatta and agriculture minister Ghanshyam Bhusal vowed to clear all the outstanding payment of the sugarcane farmers by January 21. But the sugarcane farmers have demanded to clear 80 per cent outstanding payment by January 10 and the remaining 20 per cent payment by January third week.
According to sugarcane farmers, the mills are yet to clear outstanding payments for the past five years amounting to Rs 1.33 billion. The farmers have yet to recover Rs 420 million from Shree Ram Sugar Mills, Rs 400 million from Annapurna Sugar Mills, Rs 200 million from Mahalaxmi Sugar Mills, Rs 110 million from Bagmati Sugar Mills and Rs 100 million each from Indira Sugar Mills and Lumbini Sugar Mills, the farmers claimed.
Taking time in the meeting of the National Assembly today, he informed that the sugar mills have been directed to clear their dues. “The government has formed a task force that will submit its report to the government within 15 days,” he said, adding that the discussions have also been held between the representatives of sugar mills and sugarcane farmers. “The mills have been instructed to immediately pay the dues they owe to the farmers.”
He also said that the government is serious regarding the 11-point demands of the sugarcane farmers, whereas it is also facilitating in the purchase and sale of sugar that the mill owners have in their store.
Bhatta also informed the National Assembly that customs levied on import of sugar has been increased by 40 per cent and importation of this commodity has been prohibited to help mill owners sell their stock of sugar.
The lawmakers, on the occasion, also suggested him to seek a long-term solution as the problem between the farmers and mill owners have been recurring every year. Earlier this week, the sugarcane farmers from various parts of Tarai districts assembled and started a stage sit-in at the Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu to pressurise the government.
The communist government with a comfortable majority is steering the nation, and the farmers are staging the protest against the government that claims to be championing for the cause farmers and labourers.
Agitating farmers claim that Annapurna Sugar Mills needs to pay a total of Rs 500 million, while Mahalaxmi Sugar Mills owes them Rs 210 million. The government has fixed minimum support price for a quintal of sugarcane at Rs 536.56. Of the total amount, sugar mills should pay Rs 471.28 per quintal, while Rs 65.28 is to be paid by the government as subsidy.
Earlier yesterday, during a meeting with sugarcane farmers held at the Industry Ministry, deputy prime minister Ishwar Pokharel, industry minister Lekhraj Bhatta and agriculture minister Ghanshyam Bhusal vowed to clear all the outstanding payment of the sugarcane farmers by January 21. But the sugarcane farmers have demanded to clear 80 per cent outstanding payment by January 10 and the remaining 20 per cent payment by January third week.
According to sugarcane farmers, the mills are yet to clear outstanding payments for the past five years amounting to Rs 1.33 billion. The farmers have yet to recover Rs 420 million from Shree Ram Sugar Mills, Rs 400 million from Annapurna Sugar Mills, Rs 200 million from Mahalaxmi Sugar Mills, Rs 110 million from Bagmati Sugar Mills and Rs 100 million each from Indira Sugar Mills and Lumbini Sugar Mills, the farmers claimed.
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