December 24: Sugar mill operators have deposited very less amount in the bank accounts of sugarcane farmers than they actually owe. The farmers are worried that they have not received the due amounts that they deserve.

“The farmers’ dues are in six digit figure but the sugar mill owners have paid in five digits,” informed Rakesh Mishra, patron of the Sugarcane Farmers Struggle Committee, Sarlahi. Mishra further said that all the farmers are yet to receive the due amount although the operators have said they have cleared the dues.

Shree Ram Sugar Mill claimed that it has already deposited Rs 253 million in the bank accounts of the sugarcane farmers on last Friday and Sunday. However, the farmers’ struggle committee does not agree to the claim made by the sugar mill.

Similarly, Annapurna Sugar Mill has also released a statement saying that it has started depositing the dues in bank accounts of the farmers from Sunday.

Mishra says that although the sugar mill owners have been claiming that they have deposited the dues, all the sugarcane farmers are yet to receive the amount.

According to him, the sugar mill owners have submitted a report to the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies stating that they have outstanding dues of Rs 650 million but the sugarcane farmers insist that they owe Rs 900 million from the operators.

Mishra further said that they have reached a verbal understanding that the government will guarantee the release of Rs 650 million from the operators while a technical team will be formed to sort out the issue of the remaining Rs 250 million.

Secretary of the struggle committee Hari Shyam Raya says that the sugar mill operators are trying to dupe the farmers by saying that they have deposited the money while only depositing a handful of amount in reality.