Farmers want govt to restart sugarcane crushing season

Team Herald

PONDA: The Sanjivani Bachao Samiti (SBS), farmers delegation from Quepem, Sanguem and Cancona, on Monday submitted a memorandum to Sanjivani Sugar Factory administration asking what steps they have taken to restart the sugarcane crushing season 2020-21, which annually starts from November.

Addressing the media persons in the premises of Sanjivani Sugar Factory, Dharbandora, the farmers sought an authentic and written clarification from the administration if the government doesn’t want to close the factory then it should give proper clarification why the Sanjivani Sugar Factory sugarcane crushing season is not commenced for the year 2020-21, which was about to start from this November. 

SBS Secretary Prashant Gaguns said, “Four days ago they had sought appointment with the factory’s Managing Director following which they were asked to meet with a delegation of five members. Accordingly, we were here but the Managing Director is learnt to be out of station for his official work. 

He said, “As per the timetable, every year Sanjivani Sugar Factory sugarcane crushing season should start from November and we were expecting an answer from the Managing Director if the government doesn’t want to close the factory then why it is not starting this year’s crushing season. We have formed this association in the interest of farmers and also for survival of sugar factory.  

“The government doesn’t speak with an authentic document and the farmers want a written assurance or an authentic document from the government on the status of the factory,” he added.

He said, “Last season was unfortunately shutdown but the sugarcane farmers were not given anything in writing about the shutdown of the crushing season. That time the government gave excuse that it will install new machinery and till then the farmers should send their sugarcane to Karnataka factory and as per the government suggestion we agreed.”

“Further the government promised to provide compensation for the standing crop to the farmers for the coming seasons. Nowhere in the country such compensation is given for standing crop and if such practice prevails then government should produce document. There is no mention of compensation for standing crop in Dr Swaminathan Report,” he added. 

The farmers also demanded that the government should conduct an inquiry into the corruption that had taken place in Sanjivani in past many years.