Chandigarh, Nov 21 (IANS): Sugarcane farmers started an indefinite protest on the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway on Tuesday demanding hike in procurement price for crop from Rs 380 to Rs 450 per quintal, with hundreds camping out in the middle of the road by pitching tents.

Hundreds of the protesters are sitting on the highway, waving farmer union flags and shouting slogans against the government. Several farmer unions under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha have gathered for the protest.

They have also blocked the highway, due to which the movement of the vehicular traffic has been hampered.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Doaba) leader Manjit Rai said they had apprised the government several times for enhancement of the sugarcane assured price, but of no avail.

On blocking the rail network, he told the media that a meeting of all farmer unions would be held to decide in this regard.

“We had postponed the dharna planned for November 8 but got it postponed on the assurance of the government to accept the demand. We have been told that a meeting has been called by the Cane Commissioner on Wednesday on the issue but we have not been invited. We are being told that a notification for price hike will be released after the meeting but our dharna is indefinite,” he said.