VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Cheraku Rythula Sangham secretary Y Kesava Rao has demanded the state government to take steps for the payment of more than `150 crore dues to the sugarcane growers from 13 sugar factories in the state.
Finding fault with the government for not discussing the issue of dues at the high-level review meet held with the officials and managing directors of the factories recently, he said that the state government is not providing any grants to the co-operative factories leaving farmers in severe crisis. Speaking to reporters here Monday, he mentioned that the crushing work at sugar factories had been stopped since five months. But the farmers who supplied sugarcane are yet to be paid.
He also reminded, for the last couple of months, thousands of farmers have been staging protests at Lachiahpeta factory in Vizianagaram.
Although chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has appointed a committee to look into the matters of sugarcane farmers, nothing much has been done so far, Kesava Rao alleged.