New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) The Lok Sabha Thursday passed by voice vote the Essential Commodities (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2009, that seeks to replace the concept of minimum price of sugarcane with the fair and remunerative price (FRP) mechanism.
The bill was brought forward to replace an ordinance that sought to change the pricing concept of sugarcane, and which had provoked widespread protests from farmers, particularly in northern states.

The bill is aimed at simplifying price determination for levy sugar.

“Fixation of FRP not only meant giving higher price to farmers for their sugarcane than the statutory minimum price fixed previously, but also ensured that a FRP for sugarcane is fixed by the central government,” said Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.

Replying to the discussion on the bill, Pawar rejected the allegations levelled by opposition MPs that the government was siding with mill owners on the sugarcane pricing issue.

He said the government was not in favour of importing sugar, but was compelled to do so to “protect the interest of consumers”.

Opposition MPs in turn accused the government of not protecting the interests of sugarcane growers.

Farmers had staged a protest in the national capital last month in protest against a controversial ordinance on sugarcane pricing promulgated Oct 21.