MARGAO
Sugarcane farmers on Tuesday called on Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai at Fatorda to express their grievance and requested him to take up their issues in the upcoming Goa Legislative Assembly session which commences on January 16.
The farmers’ delegation contended that due to the closure of Sanjivini sugar factory, they have faced huge losses. They said the government told them to sell their yield to sugar factories in neighbouring states but the price paid to the farmers for sugarcane has been very low.
“The Goa government, which announced that Sanjivini factory would be used to manufacture ethanol, promised to compensate the farmers during the closure of the factory for five years beginning from 2019. The compensation was decided to be based on the average of the previous five years yield of the farmers. However, after just one year, the government decided to pay the farmers based on actual yield rather than average yield. As a result the farmers who reduced their cultivation due to low demand have received little or no compensation,” the delegation told the Goa Forward chief.
The farmers also appealed to Sardesai that he demand the restarting of the Sanjivini sugar factory as soon as possible. “Without the factory, there will be no demand for the sugarcane we produce,” informed the farmers.
Sardesai spoke to former MP Narendra Sawaikar via telephone to hear his side of the issue. Sardesai then informed the farmers that he is skeptical that Sawaikar will be able to resolve their issues since it’s out of his hand. “It has become a property issue,” said Sardesai, hinting at a real estate scam where the government could be stalling the revival of the factory in order to divert the land belonging to the factory for other purposes.
