During the Covid-19 pandemic when the sugar industry of Brazil came to a grinding halt, more than half of the sugar factories in Maharashtra and some in Karnataka were closed down, the Uttar Pradesh government had ensured that all 119 sugar factories continue procurement and production.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said this while addressing farmers of Uttar Pradesh at the ‘farmers meet’ held in Lucknow on Sunday.
“During Covid, the world economy was facing slow down. Brazil is the biggest producer of sugar. Its sugar industry came to a grinding halt. Half of the sugar factories of Maharashtra were closed down and some in Karnataka. But the sugarcane development of Uttar Pradesh with the help of technology continued running all 119 sugar factories in Uttar Pradesh,” Yogi Adityanath said.
https://twitter.com/myogiadityanath/status/1442062400966967301?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwHe added that his government ensured that till the time the last farmer of the state sold his standing sugarcane crop, no sugar factory would terminate its operation.
The Chief Minister said that in 2017 when he took oath as chief minister he found sugarcane farmers disappointed.
“Farmers believed that even the remaining sugar mills would be shut down. During BSP rule 21 sugar mills were shut down and 11 were closed during the rule of Samajwadi Party. Sugar factories worth Rs 250 Crore to Rs 300 Crore were sold out at throwaway prices, anything between Rs 25 crore,” he said.
https://twitter.com/myogiadityanath/status/1442094393641496577?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwYogi Adityanath said that his government started reviving the sugar industry in Uttar Pradesh. Closed factories were reopened, technology upgraded, a new set-up was made, and factory owners were positively persuaded to reopen their closed factories. Even some of the sold-out factories were taken back by his government.
He said that the outstanding dues of farmers related to sugarcane procurement were cleared. Sugarcane production was on the decline. But farmers were assured that the sugar industry is on the path of revival. And at the same time in April 2017, the Yogi Adityanath government had brought procurement policy and other pro-farmer policies to boost the farming sector. He added that his government has decided to increase the procurement price of sugarcane.
https://twitter.com/myogiadityanath/status/1442095209232228356?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw“The period between 2004 and 2014 was a dark age for the country and Uttar Pradesh. The development of Uttar Pradesh had come to a grinding halt. There was lawlessness and riot all around. Nobody was safe. Farmers across the country were committing suicide,” Yogi Adityanath said.
He said that the dark phase was over when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of India, who launched a number of schemes for the welfare of farmers, the poor and people of other sections of the society.
Yogi Adityanath quipped at ongoing politically sponsored farmers’ protest and said that farmers are not going to be trapped by them.