Sugarcane farmers in Punjab have announced a “rasta roko” and “rail roko” agitation in Jalandhar from November 20, protesting against the state government’s failure to announce the state advised price (SAP) for the 2026-27 crushing season and clear pending dues of around Rs 7 crore from the previous season.With the crushing season expected to begin in 10 days, farmers said the delay in announcing the SAP had created uncertainty among cane growers. They also expressed resentment over the non-payment of dues for the 2025-26 crushing season.The area under sugarcane cultivation in Punjab has increased marginally from 1.12 lakh hectares last year to 1.16 lakh hectares this year. Cane production is estimated at around 700 lakh quintals.Nine cooperative and six private sugar mills are expected to begin crushing operations later this month. Private mills account for nearly 70 per cent of the total cane crushing, while cooperative mills handle the remaining 30 per cent.Meanwhile, a sugar mill in Phagwara has not been granted a licence to start operations because it has failed to clear pending dues of Rs 27.74 crore for previous years.Official sources said the meeting of the Sugarcane Control Board, which decides the SAP and the date for commencement of the crushing season, had not been held yet. The meeting was postponed twice last month.Jangveer Singh Chouhan, state president of the Doaba Kisan Committee, said farmers were demanding an SAP of Rs 550 per quintal, citing a steep rise in cultivation costs.“Haryana has announced an SAP of Rs 430 per quintal, an increase of Rs 15 over last year. We expect the Punjab Government to meet our demand of Rs 550 per quintal. The cost of cultivation has gone up drastically and this should be taken into account while deciding the SAP,” he said.He alleged that despite an increase in sugar prices, cane growers were not getting the benefit, while middlemen were making profits.Wholesale sugar prices are currently hovering around Rs 50 per kg, while retail prices range between Rs 70 and Rs 77 per kg.Punjab had announced an SAP of Rs 416 per quintal last year. Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian had earlier assured farmers that the AAP government would announce the highest SAP in the country for the 2026-27 season as well. He gave the assurance during a week-long farmers’ protest on the outskirts of Chandigarh earlier this year.The likely SAP for the current season is being pegged at Rs 431 per quintal, though the final decision is awaited.A senior Agriculture Department official said the Sugarcane Control Board meeting would be held soon and the new SAP announced shortly. The pending dues from the previous crushing season would also be released soon, the official said.