UP cane farmers seek Rs 600 a quintal, warn of protest if no price by October 20

Sugarcane farmers' groups in Uttar Pradesh are pressing the state government to raise the State Advised Price (SAP) for cane to Rs 600 per quintal for the 2026-27 crushing season, as the state has yet to announce a new rate. The demand was discussed at a cane price sub-committee meeting held at the Sugarcane Commissioner's office in Lucknow on 7 October 2026, attended by department officials and sugar mill representatives. A faction of the Bharatiya Kisan Union has warned that if the price is not announced by 20 October, farmers will burn sugarcane in protest on 25 October. Reports say the state cabinet has so far not announced any revision.

The SAP is the price the Uttar Pradesh government sets for cane bought by mills in the state, and it sits above the Centre's FRP, which acts as a national floor. For the large number of farm families in the state who grow cane, the size and timing of the SAP announcement directly shape their income for the season.

Farmers argue that rising input costs have outpaced cane prices. If a farmers' group's own cost estimate of about Rs 392 per quintal is correct, last season's price of Rs 390 for normal varieties barely covered the cost of growing the crop. The demand for Rs 600 is far above any likely increase, but it signals how much pressure the government faces before the crushing season.

Sugar mills see it differently. A higher cane price raises their costs, and if sugar prices and ethanol earnings do not keep pace, mills can struggle to pay farmers on time. Farmers' groups are also demanding timely payment, not just a higher price. Any SAP decision will therefore have to balance farm incomes with mills' ability to pay.

Short-term: Pressure on the state government will build ahead of the farmers' 20 October deadline, and protests could follow if no price is announced. Mills may start crushing without a final rate, adding to uncertainty for growers.

Long-term: The size of the eventual increase will affect farm incomes, mill finances and the area farmers choose to plant under cane next year. Timely payment will remain as important as the price itself.

Who is affected: Sugarcane farmers and their families in Uttar Pradesh, sugar mills and their workers, cooperative cane societies, and consumers if higher cane costs feed into sugar prices.

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