BIRATNAGAR, JAN 15 - Due to the long running debate over the sugarcane price, the total farming of sugarcane in the eastern region has been decreased by 40 per cent.
The hopeless farmers, according to study carried our by the Regional Agriculture Directorate, over 8 hectors of land was used for sugarcane farming some four years back, which at present, is limited only to 5 hectors.
Talking to The Kathmandu Post, Ajay Hari Sharma, President of the Federation of Sugarcane Producers (FSP) Morang-Sunsari said that the decrease in sugarcane farming came, as the farmers could not recover even the nominal costs.
He also added that the price reduction declared by sugar industries during the harvesting season discouraged farmers to sugarcane plantation.
The negligence shown by the government in encouraging farmers, continuation of traditional agricultural processes and price hike in seeds and fertilizers added discouragement to the local farmers.
Meanwhile, farmers have continued their protest in the various parts of the region asking industrialists and the government to fix appropriate price of sugarcane. Almost all the sugar factories, as a result, have halted their operation for an indefinite period.
Frustrated by the virtual fall of sugarcane price, 50 per cent of the local farmers, according the study, have reached in decision to stop sugarcane farming particularly for the nest one year.Posted on: 2004-01-16 03:13

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