Lucknow, Mar 3 (IANS): The Samajwadi Party (SP), on Wednesday, staged a walkout from the Uttar Pradesh assembly over the issue of cane price.

The SP members accused the government of being anti-farmer.

During Question Hour, SP member Narendra Verma asked the government whether cane production cost has increased due to rise in prices of diesel, fertiliser, pesticides, agricultural equipment, and sought to know if the government was considering an increase in cane price.

In his reply, cane minister Suresh Kumar Rana said the state advisory price (SAP) of cane is declared after taking into note production and sugar production cost and other factors, and that the state had already done so for 2020-2021.

While the prices for early variety is Rs 325 per quintal, for rejected varieties it is Rs 310 per quintal, and Rs 315 per quintal for common variety, he said.

On increasing SAP, he said, the 'question does not arise' as the same for for 2021 has been already fixed.

The minister also cited some data of payments made to cane farmers by the previous Samajwadi Party regime and said the present government is committed to the welfare of farmers.

Leader of Opposition, Ram Govind Choudhury (SP), said the minister did not answer the important question.

"When you are not raising the price, how can you double the income of farmers? This government is anti-farmer," he said and then walked out along with other SP members.