Central government announces formation of a high‑level committee within a week to safeguard sugarcane farmers' interests.

The central Ministry of Agriculture today took a significant step to protect the interests of sugarcane farmers, saying that a high‑level committee will be formed within the next seven days. This committee will include the Agriculture Minister, heads of major state agriculture departments, representatives of farmer organisations and economic experts. The main task of the committee will be to review the existing sugarcane pricing system, transparency in the procurement process, and the subsidies and Minimum Support Price (MSP) received by farmers. The government described this step as aimed at “bringing stability to farmers’ incomes and strengthening agricultural production,” while in recent years fluctuations in sugarcane prices and disputes with buyers had increased farmer discontent.

In recent months, sugarcane farmers in several states had protested against violations of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and unfair deductions by buyers. In this context, various farmer unions had demanded immediate measures from the government, which had led to problems such as a decline in agricultural production and a debt crisis. The high‑level committee has been instructed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of these problems, present policy‑reform recommendations, and, where necessary, implement a new price‑stabilisation mechanism. Experts believe that if the committee works effectively, farmers’ incomes will improve, market confidence will rise, and the competitiveness of the country’s sugar industry will also be strengthened.

In the next steps, the committee has been directed to hold public hearings to hear farmers’ demands, to collect real‑time data during sugarcane harvesting across various states, and to submit time‑bound reports to policymakers. The government said that, based on the committee’s findings, any necessary legislative or regulatory changes will be implemented immediately, ensuring stability in sugarcane production and the economic security of farmers. This initiative is being seen as a major step toward restoring confidence in the agricultural sector and maintaining India’s strong position as a global sugar exporter.