The agitation against the proposed transfer of ownership of the Sheron Cooperative Sugar Mill entered its 19th day on Monday, with farmers under the banner of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha intensifying their protest against the Punjab Government.
Addressing protesters, farmer leaders including Harjinder Singh Tanda, Manjit Singh Baggu, Balkar Singh Valtoha, Sukhbaz Singh Sidhu and Nachhattar Singh Pannu alleged that the government was attempting to transfer ownership of the mill despite farmers holding a majority stake in the cooperative.
The leaders claimed that nearly 60 per cent of the mill’s shares belonged to farmers and asserted that the government could not unilaterally alter its ownership structure.
The controversy dates back to November 2025, when the Bhagwant Mann-led government issued a notification concerning the transfer of ownership of around 100 acres of land belonging to the Sheron Cooperative Sugar Mill. Farmer organisations launched a protest shortly after learning of the move, alleging that it was against the interests of the farming community.
The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha has maintained that the proposed transfer would undermine efforts to promote crop diversification in Punjab.
Farmer leaders pointed out that while the state government has been urging cultivators to move away from the traditional paddy-wheat cycle, the closure of a sugar mill weakens one of the viable alternatives available to farmers.
“The government’s crop diversification policy can succeed only if sugarcane cultivation is actively encouraged. Shutting down or transferring ownership of a sugar mill sends the wrong message to farmers who are willing to diversify,” the leaders said.
They further argued that reviving the mill would provide a stable market for sugarcane growers, particularly in flood-prone areas where farmers often face challenges in cultivating conventional crops.
The protesters demanded that the government immediately withdraw the move to transfer ownership and restart operations at the sugar mill to safeguard the interests of farmers and promote crop diversification in the region.
The agitation is expected to continue until the government clarifies its position on the future of the cooperative mill.
