Despite announcement of record-breaking price for purchase of sugarcane, some sections of farmers still agitated at Madhya and Sayan Sugar factories demanding enhanced rates for the produce. Police lathicharged them at Madhi Sugar Factory premises near here on late Wednesday. Despite anger over the incident among the farmers, no violent incident was reported on Thursday from anywhere in the region.
Purchase rates were announced for Bardoli, Chalthan, Madhi, Kamrej, Gandevi, Sayan and Mahua sugar factories on Wednesday. These rates are on an average Rs 600 higher than the 2009 rates. The announced rates are between Rs 2,351 and Rs 2,641 per tonne of sugarcane.
Not happy with the announced rates, some members of Madhi sugar factories in Surat district went to the administrators of the factory and demanded the rates be increased by Rs 253 per tonne. However, their demand was rejected which led the members to stage a demonstration. But before the protest took an ugly turn, a police party which was present there lathicharged them at the sugar factory premises.