Last year, the SAP was Rs 250 for the early variety, Rs 240 for the normal variety and Rs 235 for sub-standard variety.

The government has also increased the transport deduction expense from the existing Rs 5.75 per quintal to Rs 8.75 per quintal.

An official spokesperson said that the increase in SAP will imply that the farmers will get Rs 21,500 crore as sugar cane produce price, which is Rs 3,300 crore more than last year.

Criticising the SAP of sugar cane announced by the Uttar Pradesh government, the BJP said it would hold dharnas at all district headquarters in the state on Saturday to press the government to accept its demand of hiking the price to Rs 400 per quintal. Terming the SP government “anti-farmer”, state BJP president Laxmikant Bajpai said dharnas would be staged across the state.

Jayant Chaudhary, general secretary of Rashtriya Lok Dal, said the government had betrayed farmers and the announced price was “unacceptable” to them. The government had announced the SAP under pressure from the RLD, but in doing so it had failed to safeguard the interests of farmers, Chaudhary added.

UPCC president Nirmal Khatri said the SAP was only about the cost that the farmers incur on growing the sugarcane and that too about two months after the crushing season has started. This only goes on to show the passive attitude of the government towards cane growers, Khatri said.