Broken promises

Farmers have become disillusioned because of debts and policy corruption.

As 2020 comes to an end, the government has repeated its promise to get all defaulting sugar mills to pay the money they owe to sugarcane farmers within 21 days. Hopeful farmers have also called off their indefinite protests after 16 days, following fresh government assurances to settle the payments. The government now must uphold its promise and ensure that the farmers get paid in full, besides addressing other short- and long-term issues faced by the sugarcane industry.