New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized on Thursday that his administration remains dedicated to honoring every commitment made to the nation’s farmers. This statement follows a noteworthy development, with the central government raising the sugarcane Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) by ₹25, now set at ₹340 per quintal, as announced a day prior.
On X, in Hindi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed, ‘Our government is dedicated to fulfilling every resolution concerning the welfare of our farmer brothers and sisters nationwide. In this regard, a historic increment in the price of sugarcane purchase has been sanctioned. This measure will be advantageous for millions of our sugarcane-producing farmers.
On Wednesday, the government took a significant step by approving a ₹25 increase in the minimum price that mills are obligated to pay to sugarcane growers, setting it at ₹340 per quintal for the upcoming 2024-25 season beginning in October.
This marks the highest Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane declared by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government since assuming office in 2014. Notably, in terms of magnitude, this is the second instance where the Modi government has implemented a ₹25 per quintal surge in FRP in a single decision.
The decision to raise the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) was endorsed at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Notably, this move precedes the upcoming general elections.
Sugarcane cultivation is predominant in states such as Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur labeled this adjustment as a historic sugarcane price, standing approximately 8 percent higher than the current season’s FRP for 2023-24.
Prime Minister Modi’s announcement coincides with the ongoing Delhi Chalo protest led by farmers from Punjab, advocating for Minimum Support Price (MSP) support for all crops. Recent clashes between farmers and police at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border resulted in one protester’s fatality and injuries to 12 police personnel.