By Our Correspondent, Sarlahi, Apr.2: Sugar mills have failed to pay hardworking sugarcane farmers their outstanding dues for two years. Farmers continuously resorted to protests demanding payments throughout the nation and even in Kathmandu.

This year, however, the Mahalakshmi Sugar Industry Bagdaha of Sarlahi has made timely payments to all the sugarcane farmers.

Farmers have said that the industry is gradually compensating them as compared to previous years. “The industry has not created any hassle this time around. It has been selling sugar and remunerating farmers and has even published a schedule,” said Devendra Yadav, Chief of Godaita Municipality. “So far up to Holi, 60 per cent of farmers have received their payment,” informed Yadav, who is also a sugarcane farmer.
The Mahalakshmi Sugar mill of Bagdaha Ward No. 6 has been receptive to the farmer’s plight.

“If the mill continues to pay the farmers in time as it has been doing so far, we do not have to travel all the way to Kathmandu to voice our demands,” said farmer Ram Kewal Rai. “While the farmers haven’t received all that’s owed to them, they are currently satisfied with the money that’s gradually being deposited to their accounts.

Birendra Shrivastav, Administrative Manager of Mahalakshmi Sugar Industry, said that the farmers would be paid gradually and no arrears will be kept for a long time this year.

Likewise, the Indushankhar Sugar Industry, Hariwan, in the northern part of the district also started making the payments at the beginning of the year. The industry has stated that payments are still ongoing.

Of the three sugar industries operating, the Annapurna Sugar Industry in Dhankaul in the western part of the district has remained closed since last year.