Punjab hikes sugarcane SAP by Rs 11 per quintal, CM Bhagwant Mann calls it ‘shagun’

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CHANADIGARH: The Punjab government on Friday announced a SAP hike of Rs 11 per quintal on sugarcane.

“Cane growers will get Rs 391 per quintal,” says CM Bhagwant Mann. In Punjab, Rs 11 is considered a “shagun”, so I am announcing this as hike in the SAP, he announced on X.

Sugarcane growers had demanded an increase in the state advised price ahead of the cane crushing season in November.

Earlier, farmers held protests demanding an increase in sugarcane price from Rs 380 per quintal to Rs 450 per quintal.

On Friday last week, farmers held a demonstration on a national highway in Jalandhar but decided to end their stir after Mann’s assurance.

“As far as increasing the rate of sugarcane goes, Punjab has always been ahead,” Mann had said last week.

Protestors under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha had blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of the Jalandhar-New Delhi National Highway near Dhanowali village.

The strike ended on the fourth day after a meeting between farmer leaders and the chief minister.

Neighbouring state Haryana had last month announced a hike of Rs 14 in the sugarcane price to Rs 386 a quintal.