Lucknow, October 30, 2025: In a major relief to sugarcane farmers, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced a ₹30 per quintal hike in the State Advisory Price (SAP) of sugarcane for the 2025-26 crushing season. With this revision, the new SAP stands at:
- ₹400 per quintal for early-maturing varieties,
- ₹390 per quintal for common varieties, and
- ₹385 per quintal for rejected varieties.
The decision, taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is expected to benefit nearly 45 lakh sugarcane farmers across the state. The hike comes ahead of the upcoming crushing season and follows sustained demands from farmer unions for better remuneration amid rising input costs.
Officials estimate that the increase will inject around ₹3,000 crore of additional income into the rural economy. The government highlighted that sugar mills in UP have cleared over ₹2.9 lakh crore in cane dues over the past eight years, reflecting its commitment to protecting farmer interests. However, industry bodies such as the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) have cautioned that the hike may add pressure on mills already facing tight margins due to unchanged sugar prices and reduced ethanol allocation for the coming year.
They have urged the Centre to consider policy support, including export permissions and higher ethanol diversion, to help mills maintain timely payments to farmers. Uttar Pradesh remains India’s largest sugar-producing state, contributing nearly 35% of the country’s total output. The new SAP will come into effect from the start of the 2025-26 crushing season next month.
