Here's some sweet news for sugarcane farmers in Andhra Pradesh. The State Government has announced a special grant of Rs 200 a tonne of cane for farmers under nine cooperative sugar factories.

Mr N Kiran Kumar Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, has sanctioned Rs 50 crore for this purpose.

Talking to sugarcane farmers here on Wednesday at his office, he said the Government was working on a comprehensive five-year package for sugar cane sector. “We are in the process of getting inputs from experts in the industry. This plan will help all stakeholders. It would assign specific roles for factory management, the Government and farmers,” he said.

“The Government would encourage factories to go for co-generation, chemical production and other value added products to enhance value for factories and farmers. “I have so far sanctioned Rs 96 crore for the industry after I assumed the charge,” he said.

He said the Government would increase the capacity of bulk milk cooling units in Chittoor district as procurement by Indira Kranthi Patham (or the World Bank funded Velugu scheme) members to 5 lakh litres from the present 3 lakh litres.

kurmanath@thehindu.co.in

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