KOLHAPUR: District guardian minister Chandrakant Patil on Tuesday asserted that the sugar factories will have to pay the fair and remunerative price (FRP) to cultivators at the earliest.

Speaking to reporters, Patil said, "The factories have divided the FRP into two instalments, but with the rising rates of sugar in the domestic markets, the factories can go ahead and make payments to the farmers on their own. The state will welcome it."

He added that if the sugar prices go up, the factories can earn better and it is their responsibility of the factories to pass it on to the farmers.

Referring to the current sugar crisis in the state, Patil ruled out the state government's intervention.

A majority of the sugar mills in Maharashtra had expressed their inability to pay the FRP earlier, but later agreed to make the payment as per the 80:20 formula. Factories have demanded the government's help in making the payment.

The minister added that the government's funds have depleted due to the misrule of the Congress-NCP and it is not in a position to provide more funds to sugar factories. However, he assured that the state government will make sure that farmers get FRP from the factories.

"Various efforts of the state have resulted in the farmers getting some financial support from the factories. Some money was also deposited in the farmers' accounts. Still, factories are demanding more support, which is unfair," he said.

"More than Rs2,000 crore have been deposited in the accounts of farmers in the state during the last eight months. The farmers will get more money from time to time as we will be keeping the factories under our control," added the minister.

Sugar Factories Will Have To Pay FRP To Farmers: Chandrakant Patil

Times News Network

Kolhapur: The sugar factories in the state will have to pay the fair and remunerative price to farmers at the earliest. The factories have divided it in to two instalments but with rising rates of sugar in the domestic markets, the factories can go ahead and make payments to the farmers on their own. The state will welcome it.

Speaking to reporters, Chandrakant Patil, state cooperation minister said, The sugar prices seem to be going up in the coming days. If the prices go up, then the factories can earn better and it should reflect in it is the responsibility of the factories to pass it on to the farmers.

Speaking in the context of the current sugar crisis in the state, Patil ruled out the state governments intervention in it. A majority of sugar mills in Maharashtra have expressed inability to pay the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), earlier but later agreed to the formula of 80:20 division in the payment of the FRP. The factories have demanded the governments help to pay FRP to sugarcane farmers. Patil said that the governments funds have depleted because of the misrule of Congress-NCP and it is not in a position to provide funds to sugar factories any further. However, he assured that the state government would ensure that farmers get FRP from the factories from time to time.

The states various efforts have resulted into farmers getting some financial support from the factories as well as some amount has been deposited in the farmers accounts as well directly. Still, the factories are demanding more support, which is unfair.

Patil said, More than 2,000 crore have been deposited on the accounts of farmers in the state during the last eight months. The farmers will get more amount from time to time as we will be keeping the factories under our control.