Sugarcane Farmers Await Long-Overdue Payments Amidst Unfulfilled Government Directives

Butwal. Although the government has made it mandatory to pay farmers within a maximum of 25 days after purchasing agricultural produce, sugarcane farmers in West Nawalparasi have not received their outstanding dues for years. The government's 100-point agenda for governance reform, published in Chaitra 2082 BS, includes point number 90 (Agriculture Sector) (b), which mandates payment within 25 days for agricultural produce purchased from farmers. This agenda was also sent to the District Administration Offices for implementation. Following this decision, sugarcane farmers in Nawalparasi had hoped to receive timely payments from sugar industries, but the problem persists as the government's decision has not been implemented. Despite discussions at the District Administration Office of West Nawalparasi, sugar industries agreed to pay the outstanding amount by the end of Jestha, but this has not been executed. Dinesh Yadav, a sugarcane farmer from Susta Rural Municipality-5, RatanTole, stated that, as in previous years, farmers are not receiving timely and fair prices for their sweat and produce. According to him, the support price set by the government and the amounts due from industries have not yet reached the farmers. As per the agreement at the District Administration Office, Lumbini Sugar Mill had committed to paying the outstanding amounts for fiscal years 2079/80 and 2080/81 by the end of Jestha, but the mill still owes farmers approximately 17 crore rupees. Keshav Acharya, manager of Lumbini Sugar Mill, claimed that most of the payment has been made and the remaining approximately 17 crore rupees will be paid gradually based on income from sugar sales. 'Sugar sales are not as expected right now. As soon as sales increase, we will clear the remaining dues to the farmers,' he said. The closed Indira Sugar Mill also owes farmers approximately 6 crore rupees. This amount is for sugarcane crushed in the previous season. Durga Subedi, an employee of the mill, stated that he has no information about the detailed accounts as the industry is closed. The industry's operators are currently not in Nawalparasi. Meanwhile, Bagmati Sugar Mill in Susta-Kudiyato has crushed approximately 11.54 lakh quintals of sugarcane in the current fiscal year, but still owes farmers around 17 crore rupees, according to Gopal Yadav, central secretary of the National Agriculture Labor Union. Despite the government's policy to ensure payment within 25 days, farmers in Nawalparasi are still forced to knock on the doors of sugar industries and the administration for years-old outstanding payments. Farmers are facing even more difficulty in receiving the support price set by the government. The Government of Nepal sets the support price for sugarcane. Nawalparasi sugar mills are reluctant to pay this amount. Lumbini Sugar Factory has to pay 70 lakh rupees as support amount for sugarcane for fiscal years 2079/80 and 2080/81. An agreement was also reached on this matter at the District Administration Office. Similarly, Bagmati Sugar Factory, Kudiyato, has not paid the support price to farmers for three fiscal years. According to the National Agriculture Labor Union, farmers are due to receive 93 lakh rupees from this mill over three fiscal years. Farmers have also not received the support price from Tatwa Nepal Firm Limited-Kathahwa in Nawalparasi. This firm owes farmers 1 crore 36 lakh rupees. Rameshwor Koiri from Pratapapur Rural Municipality-9, Nawalparasi, questioned the irony of not receiving the price set by the government. Virendra Gupta, a farmer from Belatari, Susta, said that the non-receipt of the agreed amount has added to the farmers' suffering. Sugarcane farmers are preparing to protest again due to not receiving timely payments for sugarcane sales. They have warned of protests centered in Kathmandu from the first week of Shrawan, citing the incomplete implementation of agreements reached with the help of the District Administration Office. Gopal Yadav, secretary of the National Agriculture Labor Union Nepal, stated that there is no alternative to protest as sugar industries are not making timely payments to farmers. According to him, preparations are underway to approach the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in the first week of Shrawan regarding farmers' issues and to stage a sit-in at Maitighar Mandala if demands are not met. 'We are continuously pressuring the District Administration Office and industry operators to expedite farmers' payments, but we have not received a satisfactory response. Therefore, we are preparing for protests centered in Kathmandu from the first week of Shrawan,' Yadav said. Yadav informed that discussions are also underway regarding legal proceedings as the operator of Indira Sugar Mill, which has been closed for a long time, is absconding. Meanwhile, Poshanraj Bhandari, Assistant Chief District Officer and Information Officer at the District Administration Office, Nawalparasi, stated that an agreement regarding payments between sugar industries and farmers was reached with the coordination of the administration, and many farmers have received their payments since then. He added that as some farmers still have outstanding payments, the administration will coordinate with the industries again to facilitate the remaining payments. Bhandari mentioned that the industries have agreed to pay the support price in installments, and the administration will hold further discussions with the industries to ensure the remaining payments to the farmers. According to the Agriculture Knowledge Center, Nawalparasi, sugarcane is currently cultivated on approximately 5,000 hectares of land in the district.