Protesting Indian sugar farmers paralyse capital
Posted: 19 November 2009 2347 hrs

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NEW DELHI : Thousands of sugar cane farmers staged a huge demonstration in the Indian capital on Thursday, paralysing traffic as they demanded higher prices for the crop.

The dispute forced the adjournment of proceedings on the first day of the winter session of parliament with opposition MPs shouting: "Stop looting the farmers!"

The farmers, many of whom had travelled from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, India's biggest cane-growing state, staged the protest to demand higher state-set prices for the sugar cane.

The central government had set a base price of 129.84 rupees (2.78 dollars) per quintal for the current crop-growing season.

But the farmers are demanding that the price be at least 280 rupees per quintal, citing higher labour and input costs such as diesel prices.

The government order on sugar cane prices comes as farmers in Uttar Pradesh struggle after one of the driest monsoon in nearly four decades.

- AFP /ls