Government Constitutes Committee to Examine Issues Relating to Sugarcane Farmers and the Sugar Sector

The Government of India has constituted a committee chaired by Prof. Ramesh Chand to examine issues relating to sugarcane farmers and the sugar sector. The committee was formed following decisions taken during a meeting with sugarcane farmer representatives from Karnataka and Maharashtra and union ministers. Its mandate includes examining demands for increased remunerative returns based on cultivation costs, revision of the ex-mill Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar, mechanisms for testing and reporting sugar recovery, weighment practices, deductions for mechanically harvested sugarcane, and stakeholder consultations. The committee consists of members from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Food and Public Distribution, and Department of Consumer Affairs.