SANGUEM
The harvesting of sugarcane crop for the current crop season started in Sanguem on Wednesday, with farmers once again placing their trust in the local transport contractor to harvest and transport their crop to outstation sugar factories in neighbouring Karnataka.
The plight of sugarcane farmers in Goa to transport the produce to Karnataka started three years ago, after the abrupt closure of Sanjivani Sugar Factory at Usgao on the pretext of renovating the same with modern machinery.
Incidentally, the time limit of five years fixed by the government to pay compensation to the farmers ends next year. This has caused farmers considerable concern over the situation after 2024 if the government fails to restart the Sanjivani Sugar Factory or at least an ethanol plant, which was promised to them.
Francisco Mascarenhas, a member of the core committee of the Sugarcane Growers in the State, said the association plans to stage a sit-in agitation at the Sanjivani Sugar Factory from December 17 or 19 to compel the government to come up with the final proposal to rejuvenate the Sanjivani Sugar Factory or start with an Ethanol plant at the earliest.
Mascarenhas also informed that this year, the farmers will get a compensation of Rs 1,800 per tonne for the sugarcane supplied to outstation factories. The cost of transportation, labour and other charges shall be borne by the contractor, informed Mascarenhas.
In addition to the payment of Rs 1,800 per tonne for the sugarcane supplied to outstation factories, farmers are also getting a sum of Rs 2,600 per tonne for the current year from the State government.
