With reference to the editorial “Beyond sugar decontrol” ( Business Line , November 21), it is very clear that the sugar mill owners — without taking the plight of farmers into account — stick firmly on their stand to control the price of sugar and not the price of cane supplied by the farmers.

It is unfair to force cane growers to register with one sugar mill and supply their cane to it, irrespective of the arrears they owe to the farmers. Owing to inadequate rainfall or monsoon failure, cane cultivation seems to be an activity fraught with high-risks and low-returns. It’s a monopoly, where sugar mill owners milk the farmers.

The government should intervene and make sure these farmers get their due.

S. Lakshminarayanan

Cuddalore

Loo campaign

Unicef India’s innovative campaign ‘Take poo to the loo’ ( Business Line , November 21) is laudable. It is distressing to that more than 50 per cent of our population defecates out in the open. That’s why toilets are essential in every home.

If corporates lend a hand to ensure there is no toilet-less house in India at least by 2015, it would be a great example of corporate social responsibility.

C. G. Kuriakose

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Too many to feed

With reference to “Who moved my beef” ( Business Line , November 18) the argument that the periodic introduction of much young and more milk producing cows and buffaloes than is natural leads to fodder depletion is valid.

The only solution is that they be culled periodically. The question of cow slaughter and the cows’ religious connotations, is an unnecessary red herring here.

Paul V. John

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