Goa, May 16 -- The Goa government has officially discontinued the 'Special Assistance cum Compensation Scheme' for sugarcane farmers, which had been in effect since June 2021. Going forward, sugarcane procurement will be conducted at the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) set by the central government, as per a notification issued by Director of Agriculture Sandeep Fol Dessai.

Background of the Withdrawn Scheme

The scheme was launched in June 2021 to support farmers affected by the 2019 closure of the Sanjivani Sugar Factory in Dharbandora and provided compensation over five years, with nearly Rs.40 crore disbursed to about 700 farmers.

The annual compensation rates declined each year:

FRP-Based Procurement: The state will now procure ...