The agitation was announced after the Sugar Mills Association failed to implement the agreement signed with the Sugarcane Producers´ Association on November 7.
“We are being compelled to start the agitation as sugar mills went against the spirit of the pact in which they have agreed to purchase sugarcane in line with price offered by Indian mills,” said Kapil Muni Mainali, president of the Sugarcane Producers´ Association Sarlahi Chapter.[break]
“We have agreed to sell per quintal of sugarcane at Rs 483, which is same as the price offered by Indian mills. But sugar mills are expressing reluctance to implement the pact.”
Sugar mills, on the other hand, said they were ready to provide Rs 464 for each quintal of sugarcane. Last year, sugar mills had offered Rs 411 for a quintal of sugarcane.
According to Ram Bhajan Mahato, a local farmer in Bharatpur, farmers are going to launch the week-long protest from Sunday.
“In the first phase, we will stage a sit-in in front of a local sugar mill for three hours a day. We will then start obstructing the movement of vehicles on highways if our demands are not met upon completion of the first phase of protest program,” said Mahato.
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