Kathmandu, Jan 3 (RSS): The government and sugarcane farmers have reached an agreement that the sugar mill owners would pay the due amount to the farmers for their produce by January 21.
With this, the farmers have postponed their agitation. The five-point agreement was made in the presence of Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supply, Lekharaj Bhatta, on Friday. As per the agreement, the Ministry will mediate for the guarantee of payment to the sugarcane farmers.
The Ministry will write to the Ministry of Agriculture, and of Finance to immediately provide the grant amount the government has ensured to the farmers. Even a taskforce will be formed under coordination of a joint secretary at the Ministry having representatives from farmers and experts to study about the problems facing sugarcane farmers, so that they would be ensured prompt payment. Moreover, it was agreed that farmers would be provided seeds, tools and fertilizers to increase production of sugarcane and make the country self-reliant on sugar.
In order to hear the complaints as of payment to cane farmers and sugar supply, the supply management division has been assigned as the contact office, according to Ministry Spokesperson, Dinesh Bhattarai. The sugar mills in different parts of the country are yet to clear the dues of some Rs 1.40 billion. Mahalaxmi Sugar Mill, Shreeram Sugar Mill, Everest Sugar Mill, Himalayan Sugar Mill, Bagmati Sugar Mill and Annapurna Sugar Mill are some to pay large amount of due to the farmers
