Increased Sugarcane Prices a Double Blow for the Sugar Industry As this is an election year, the government must please farmers, the backbone of the Indian economy. As it promised in the election manifesto and again in the budget speech to guarantee them at least a 50 percent profit above the cost of production, the government of India (GOI) increased the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane by Rs.200 ($2.89)/MT to Rs.2,750 ($39.85)/MT, an increase of 7.84 percent. Also, the price is set at 77.41 percent above sugarcane’s cost of production and is applicable when the sugar recovery is 10 percent.( Farmers receive a lower price if the recovery is less and a higher price if it is above 10 percent.) Until last year, the FRP w...