Payment delayed, cane farmers switch to wheat, paddy cultivation in Sangrur, Malerkotla

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, May 12

The alleged harassment, which farmers’ face to get their payments every year, has led to sharp decline in area under sugarcane in Sangrur and Malerkotla districts.

In 2017-18, 3,810 hectares were under sugarcane in both the districts. This area came down to 1,894 hectares in the 2021-22 fiscal. This figure is likely to go further down in the current financial year too.

“All claims of the Punjab Government to promote crop diversification are only on papers. A majority of cane growers have returned to paddy-wheat cultivation during past few years,” said Hardeep Singh Bugra, who now sows sugarcane on 22 acres while earlier his 50 acres were under the crop.

Members of the sugarcane growers committee climbed atop water tank of the MC office on Wednesday for the release of their payments running into crores, pending with a private sugar mill at Dhuri.

“I cannot waste my time fighting with the government for the release of my payment,” said Paramjit Singh, another sugarcane grower of the area.

“No payment of sugarcane growers is pending. An amount of Rs 17.65 crore is pending towards a private sugar mill of Dhuri. Out of the total amount, the mill has released Rs 3 crore. The remaining amount will also be released in the coming days. We are helping farmers to adopt crop diversification,” said Jaswinderpal Singh Grewal, Chief Agriculture Officer, Sangrur.

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