Team Herald
PONDA: Around 60 farmers from Karnataka, who had supplied sugarcane to Sajeevani sugar factory at Dharbandora during last crushing season, on Monday, visited the premises and demanded that administration clear their pending dues within seven days failing which they threatened to stop the Goa sugarcane transporting trucks on their way to factories based in Karnataka.
The farmers have asked the Sanjeevani administration to clear their dues by next Monday. It may be recalled that the Goa Government had already decided to buy and sell the sugarcane produce of Goan farmers to the factories in Karnataka as crushing season will not take place at Sanjeevani factory following the State decision to renovate the factory by installing new machinery.
The Karnataka farmers, who came from Honnavar, Khanapur etc, said that they had supplied around 17000 tonnes of sugarcane to Sanjeevani during last crushing season with Goa Government assuring to pay them Rs 3,000 per tonne. The farmers claimed that they were paid only Rs 1,500 per tonne and almost a year has passed, half of the amount has not been cleared by Sanjeevani factory.
Meanwhile, Sanjeevani sugar factory farmers are also unhappy as they claimed that the factory administration has failed to provide them with a written communication with regards to future of sugarcane production.
According to Sanjeevani officials, the government has already brought the skilled labourers from neighbouring States for harvesting sugarcane. Farmers are concerned whether these few skilled workers would be able complete all the sugarcane harvesting on time.
