In Uttar Pradesh amid ongoing protest by the sugar cane farmers over cane price issue, the state government has claimed that crushing had started at 14 sugar mills across the state and all preparations have been completed in another 13 mills for crushing.<br/><br/>Cabinet Secretary Mr. Shashank Shekhar Singh said that over 6.5 lakh tonne cane has been purchased by the sugar mills and of them nearly 4.5 lakh tonne has been crushed. The state government had announced a State Advisory Price between Rs. 160 to 170 per quintal, which is Rs. 25 per quintal higher than last year's SAP. He said the sugar mills cannot pay prices less than the SAP fixed by the government.<br/>On the other hand in western districts of the state, farmers stuck to their stand of not supplying their produce to the factories as mill owners refusing to further hike the rates for sugarcane and work remained stalled in over two dozen sugar mills in the region from last six days. The sugar mills have announced that they will give an incentive of 15 rupees per quintal above the SAP, but it failed to woo the farmers who are demanding Rs. 280 a quintal.<br/><br/><br/>