KATHMANDU, March 28: Lawmakers have demanded that the government take strong action against sugar mills that are not making payments to sugarcane farmers.
Speaking at the meeting of National Assembly on Tuesday, lawmaker Radheshyam Adhikari said that the government should protect farmers who are contributing to the government's efforts of increasing farm productivity. “It should also make the sugar mills pay interest to farmers, penalizing them for the delayed payment,” he added.
Farmers demanding payment of sugarcane stop sugar exports
Thirteen sugar mills in the country owe around Rs 9.50 billion to sugarcane farmers.
Another lawmaker Balaram Baskota also asked the government to take strong action against sugar mills that are deliberately cheating farmers by not releasing their payments.
Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Matrika Prasad Yadav, has started taking action against sugar mills. The ministry on Saturday directed sugar mills to submit schedule to make payment to farmers at the earliest.
Responding to the ministry, sugar mills have pledged to start making payment to farmers from April 5. Some sugar mills have even not made payment to farmers for sugarcane purchased in the past years.
