: The Uttar Pradesh Government and owners of private sugar mills have reached an agreement over the price of sugarcane.
Sugar mills have agreed to pay the farmers the state-advised price of 280 rupees a quintal in two tranches.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani said representatives of the UP Sugar Mills Association have given an undertaking that they will start cane crushing now.
Meanwhile, BJP president Rajnath Singh has requested the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to provide necessary packages to salvage the crisis facing the sugar industry in the country.
In a letter to Dr. Singh, Rajnath Singh highlighted the the problems being faced by the sugarcane farmers of Uttar Pradesh , Maharashtra and Karnataka.
He requested the Prime Minister to provide relief to farmers and ensure the sugar mills start crushing.
He also urged Dr. Singh to direct the three state governments to pay compensation to cane farmers who incurred massive loss due to delay in crushing. (ANI)