KATHMANDU, Dec 29: Sugarcane farmers from various Terai districts on Sunday staged protest at Maitigar in Kathmandu against the failure of sugar mill owners to issue payments to them on time.
The sugar mill owners have not paid them since 2013, according to Hari Shyam Rai, a sugarcane farmer. "A previous agreement between the sugarcane farmers and sugar mill owners has not been executed yet," Rai said.
Four sugar mills yet to clear farmers’ due worth Rs 481 million
Despite cold and chilly weather, the sugarcane farmers took to the street demanding the immediate payment to them.
"Although the government fixed the purchase price of sugarcane at Rs 563.56 per quintal, the sugar mills have paid Rs 500 to the farmers," Rai said.
The sugarcane farmers maintain that different sugar mills are yet to release payment of sugarcane worth more than Rs 70 million that they had purchased from cane farmers.
Sugarcane farmer Rai said that the mill operators have not been releasing payments to farmers though they have been selling sugar and the demand for Nepali sugar is increasing in the domestic market.
