Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said his government is committed to the welfare of sugarcane farmers and promised them that a fair and remunerative price (FRP) for the forthcoming sugar season’s crop would be announced in two weeks.

Talking to a group of 140 sugarcane farmers who called on him at his official residence, Modi assured them of a higher FRP during the 2018-19 season and said that the government plans to provide incentives to farmers whose recovery from sugarcane would be higher than 9.5 per cent, which is the current benchmark.

Along with UP Minister for sugarcane development Suresh Rana, farmers from Maharashtra, Punjab and Karnataka called on Modi.

He appraised them about the various decisions taken to liquidate the arrears of sugarcane farmers. In the last 7-10 days itself, more than ₹4,000 crore of arrears have been given to farmers as a result of new policy measures, Modi said.

Besides, the State governments have been requested to take effective measures for liquidation of cane arrears, he added.

Similarly, the decision to permit 10 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol, the Prime Minister said, would offer a long-term solution for providing stability in the sugar industry.

Modi also promised the farmers that the Union Cabinet would soon approve the implementation of a Minimum Support Price of 150 per cent of the input cost at its next meeting.

The Prime Minister also exhorted farmers to use sprinkler and drip irrigation, the latest farming techniques and solar pumps. He urged farmers to install solar panels in their farms as a source of power, as well as additional income. He also urged them to aim for reducing chemical fertilizer consumption 10 per cent by 2022.

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