Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday demanded that the state government increase the sugarcane procurement price to Rs 600 per quintal, describing the recent hike of Rs 15 as a "cruel joke" on farmers struggling with rising cultivation costs.
Supporting the farmers' demand, the former chief minister said the state government's decision to raise the sugarcane price from Rs 415 to Rs 430 per quintal amounted to an increase of just about 3 per cent, which was insufficient to offset the escalating cost of agricultural inputs.
Hooda pointed out that sugar prices in the open market had risen sharply, from around Rs 45 per kilogram a few months ago to Rs 65-70 per kilogram.
"Despite this surge in sugar prices, farmers are receiving no benefit. Instead, hoarders and black-marketers are profiting due to the government's flawed policies," he alleged.
The Congress leader said farmers were being forced to take to the streets to demand a procurement price of Rs 600 per quintal because the existing rate did not adequately cover production costs.
"Farmers say the price announced by the state government is insufficient to cover the ever-increasing costs of cultivation," he said.
๐ฅ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐๐
Hooda alleged that the BJP government's policies, coupled with rising inflation, had placed an increasing financial burden on the farming community.
He said the prices of diesel, fertilisers, seeds and agricultural equipment had increased substantially, reducing farmers' earnings despite higher market prices for agricultural commodities.
"The cost of farming has surged due to the rising prices of diesel, fertilisers, seeds, and agricultural equipment. Instead of increasing, farmers' incomes have actually declined," Hooda claimed.
"Diesel prices have doubled, and so has the cost of a bag of fertiliser. While food grain prices in the market are hitting new highs daily, farmers are not even receiving enough to cover their production costs," he added.
The former chief minister maintained that the government's sugarcane pricing policy failed to reflect the economic difficulties faced by cultivators.
๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ
Comparing the BJP government's performance with that of the previous Congress administration, Hooda said the sugarcane price had increased from Rs 117 to Rs 310 per quintal during the Congress government's tenure beginning in 2005.
He claimed the increase of 165 per cent was the highest in the country during that period.
"Over the last 12.5 years, the BJP government has increased the sugarcane price from Rs 310 to only Rs 415. During our tenure, the price of sugarcane was increased by 17 per cent annually, whereas the BJP government is raising it by a mere 3 per cent," Hooda said.
He also claimed that the Congress government had ensured immediate payments to farmers upon procurement of their sugarcane.
"Under our administration, we ensured that farmers received immediate payment upon the procurement of their sugarcane," he added.
๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐๐ป๐ท๐ฎ๐ฏ ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐
Hooda also criticised Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini over his visits to poll-bound Punjab, accusing him of making promises to farmers there while failing to address the concerns of cultivators in his own state.
He alleged that Saini was attempting to project himself as a supporter of farmers in Punjab for electoral gains while neglecting their demands in Haryana.
The Congress leader said farmers in Haryana felt cheated because the state government had failed to ensure remunerative prices for their produce.
Reiterating his demand, Hooda urged the government to accept the farmers' proposal and raise the sugarcane price to Rs 600 per quintal, arguing that the increase was necessary to compensate for rising input costs and protect agricultural incomes.