Kathmandu. The government has released incentives and subsidies to sugarcane farmers.

The Ministry of Finance has released Rs 754.9million for this purpose. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the amount released will be paid to the bank accounts of the farmers through the office of the District-based Controller of Funds and Accounts.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers had decided to provide 35 subsidy per quintal to sugarcane farmers this time, but the Ministry of Finance delayed the release citing technical reasons. Sugarcane farmers have been agitating in Kathmandu due to non-receipt of this amount.

Earlier, sugarcane farmers were getting Rs 70 per quintal as incentive. Although the Ministry of Agriculture had taken a proposal to the Council of Ministers to provide the same amount to sugarcane farmers, it was decided to provide 35 on the basis of the country’s economic situation and need.

Meanwhile, talks were held between sugarcane farmers and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture gathered in Kathmandu at the Ministry in Singhadurbar. Deputy Director General of the Department of Agriculture Lalan Kumar Singh, Under-Secretaries at the Ministry Lal Kumar Shrestha and Mani Ratna Aryal and representatives of the Ministry of Industry attended the talks.

Shyam Babu Rai and others participated on behalf of sugarcane farmers. Earlier on Tuesday, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ramnath Adhikari formed a four-member negotiating team under the coordination of Deputy Director General Singh.