Cane crushing off to slow start in Indian state

Sugar mills in India's second-biggest producing state have started crushing cane but production is off to a slow start up due to farmers' reluctance to sell their produce, the Economic Times newspaper reported on Monday. The paper said farmers, demanding higher prices, refused to sell cane at the 180 rupees ($3.87) per 100 kg offered by mills, causing delays in crushing.
Farmers from Uttar Pradesh state demanding higher prices for cane stalled proceedings of the first two days of Indian parliament last week. Mills have started purchasing cane from farmers to start crushing, the paper said, quoting state Chief Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh. Singh told the paper that 14 mills had started crushing and 17 more were expected to follow suit. The state has 150 sugar mills.