Samajwadi Party members walk out of UP Assembly over issue of cane price

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party members on Wednesday walked out of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly over the issue of cane price, accusing the government of being anti-farmer.

During the Question Hour, SP member Narendra Verma asked the government whether cane production cost has increased due to rise in prices of diesel, fertiliser, pesticides, agricultural equipment, and sought to know if the government is considering an increase in cane price.

In his reply, Cane minister Suresh Kumar Rana said the state advisory price (SAP) of cane is declared after taking into note production and sugar production cost and other factors, and that the state had already done so for 2020-2021.

While the prices for early variety is Rs 325 per quintal, for rejected varieties it is Rs 310 per quintal, and Rs 315 per quintal for common variety, he said.

On increasing SAP, he said, the "question does not arise" as for 2021 it has been already fixed.

The minister also cited some data of payments made to cane farmers by the previous Samajwadi Party regime and said the present government is committed to the welfare of farmers.

The leader of Opposition, Ram Govind Chowdhury (SP), said the minister did not answer the important question.

"When you are not raising the price, how can you double the income of farmers. This government is anti-farmers," he said and walked out along with other SP members.