- The Central government has constituted a specialized panel to thoroughly examine and address the long-standing economic and operational problems faced by sugarcane farmers. - The committee will evaluate issues such as pricing mechanisms, timely payments by sugar mills, arrears, and ways to make sugarcane cultivation sustainably profitable. - Sugarcane pricing in India is governed by the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) announced by the Central government and State Advised Prices (SAP) announced by certain states. - Farmers frequently struggle with delayed payments from sugar mills, mounting dues, and high input costs, necessitating systematic policy interventions. - **Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP):** The minimum price fixed by the Central government that sugar mills are legally mandated to pay sugarcane farmers, replacing the earlier Statutory Minimum Price (SMP). - **Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP):** An apex advisory body that recommends pricing policies like MSPs and FRPs for various agricultural commodities based on comprehensive cost-of-production data. - **Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA):** A high-level cabinet committee chaired by the Prime Minister that gives the final approval for agricultural prices like the FRP for sugarcane. **Introduction** The Central government has set up a dedicated panel to study the multi-faceted problems faced by sugarcane farmers, including issues related to crop pricing, pending dues from sugar mills, and agricultural sustainability. The move aims to address structural bottlenecks in the sugar sector and protect farmers' livelihoods. **Core Issue and Detailed Points** - The Central government has constituted a specialized panel to thoroughly examine and address the long-standing economic and operational problems faced by sugarcane farmers. - The committee will evaluate issues such as pricing mechanisms, timely payments by sugar mills, arrears, and ways to make sugarcane cultivation sustainably profitable. - Sugarcane pricing in India is governed by the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) announced by the Central government and State Advised Prices (SAP) announced by certain states. - Farmers frequently struggle with delayed payments from sugar mills, mounting dues, and high input costs, necessitating systematic policy interventions. **Key Statutory Bodies, Acts & Concepts** - **Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP):** The minimum price fixed by the Central government that sugar mills are legally mandated to pay sugarcane farmers, replacing the earlier Statutory Minimum Price (SMP). - **Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP):** An apex advisory body that recommends pricing policies like MSPs and FRPs for various agricultural commodities based on comprehensive cost-of-production data. - **Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA):** A high-level cabinet committee chaired by the Prime Minister that gives the final approval for agricultural prices like the FRP for sugarcane.