Punjab Election 2022: Sugarcane farmers refuse to vote; say 'no government serious about them'

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With only a few days left for the Punjab Assembly election, farmers in the state have said they would not cast their votes as the disappointment from all the governments so far has made them hopeless about the future. 

"What is the use of voting when no government thinks for us?" farmers said. 

The development comes after the government announced an increased price of sugarcane per quintal while the payment is also not made on time.

The farmers have raised questions on the Punjab government for the price of sugarcane. 

"Punjab government has issued notification of Rs 360 per quintal after an increase of Rs 50 per quintal. But the private sugar mills said that they cannot pay that much money. Then after talks, it was decided that the sugar mills would pay the farmers at the rate of Rs 325 per quintal and the remaining Rs 35 per quintal would be paid by the Punjab government," a farmer said. 

According to the farmers, they are not getting the full price which was fixed as per government notification. 

"Now, it has become a daily wage labourer, in the name of profit", said another farmer. 

When asked about expectations from the government and other parties, the farmer said, "We have seen everyone, no one has done anything and now there is no hope from anyone."

A young farmer Parminder Singh said, "The situation as of now is that youths cannot make agriculture a career. There is no help from the government for that also. I cultivate 10 acres of land, but if we calculate the profit in comparison to the cost, I only earn 300 rupees per day as a daily wage. Our own earnings are going to the sugar mills and the government. No idea when we will get it."

Parminder said that he has had Rs 3 lakh dues on Phagwara sugar mill since last year. 

"Even if I leave this year, then there is a delay in the payment for this season. The sugar mills are paying in 15-20 days by saying one week. On top of that, we are not getting Rs 35 per quintal from the government. So far this year, we have given sugarcane worth about Rs 8 lakhs, but haven't received payment yet. There is no profit in farming but one cannot stop farming also. It is better to work on your own farm instead of working as a labourer somewhere else."

The livelihood of labourers of other states is also linked to sugarcane cultivation in Punjab. Mehboob Rahman, along with about a dozen other labourers, comes here every year during the sugarcane harvesting season. 

Mehboob Rehman, peeling sugarcane in a field in Lakhpur village, said, "We grow sugarcane by taking the field on contract every year. The problem right now is that we are not getting the money on time because only the Sardar people are not getting the payment." 

(With inputs from ANI)

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