Key Takeaways
- The ban on ethanol is seen as a setback for sugarcane farmer incomes.
- Raju Shetty highlighted the government’s earlier subsidies for ethanol projects.
- Farmers fear a rise in sugar prices ahead of the Lok Sabha election.
Kolhapur: Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) National president and former MP Raju Shetty demanded on Friday that the ban on ethanol production be withdrawn immediately.
He called the decision “Tughalaqui” and warned it will directly affect sugarcane producer farmers.
In a press statement on Friday, Shetty said the government has taken this decision fearing that the sugar price will increase due to a shortage of sugar in the country on the backdrop of the coming Lok Sabha election.
The central government had encouraged farmers to install ethanol projects by giving subsidies and concessions in interest. With the benefits of this, sugar factory owners invested crores of rupees in ethanol projects, and now the government has suddenly imposed a ban on the production of ethanol, which affects farmers directly.
Shetty said the policy of the government was responsible for the shortage of sugar production, and next year too, sugar production will be short. It was necessary to go to the root of why the sugarcane sector is reducing in the country.
The prices of chemical fertilizers have increased tremendously, and production costs have also increased, which are not affordable to the farmers in this situation.
The government should provide immediate financial support to the sugarcane producer farmers, and only then sugar production will increase in the country.
He demanded that this ridiculous decision to ban ethanol production should withdraw immediately.
