Karnataka: Factories commence cane crushing
Belagavi’s 29 sugar factories are set to begin the delayed 2026-27 crushing season after farmers withdrew protests following an agreement for ₹3,600 per tonne and profit-sharing linked to sugar prices. Farmers could receive up to ₹4,350 per tonne under the agreed arrangement.
Belagavi: Sugar factories in Belagavi district are all set to commence the 2026-27 sugarcane crushing season, albeit over a month behind schedule.
Of the 29 functional sugar factories in the district, 12 are privately owned and 17 are co-operative units. While the factories rely on mechanised harvesting, they also bring in harvesting gangs from Maharashtra to cut the sugarcane.
Over the past week, several factories symbolically lit their furnaces to mark the commencement of the crushing season. However, actual crushing and harvesting activities remained stalled as farmers continued their protests demanding higher prices for sugarcane.
The protests, spearheaded by the Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and Hasiru Sene, had continued for over a month, with farmers demanding prices that adequately cover cultivation costs and provide a reasonable profit, besides a share in the profits from the sale of sugar and its by-products.
The deadlock was broken after sugar factories agreed to pay Rs 3,600 per tonne and share profits based on increases in sugar prices, following which farmers decided to withdraw their agitation.
During the previous crushing season too, farmers had staged protests at Gurlapur in Mudalgi and succeeded in securing an increase in sugarcane prices.
This season, their demands included a price of Rs 5,500 per tonne, comprising Rs 4,500 from sugar factories and a government support price of Rs 1,000 per tonne, funded through taxes generated from the sale of sugar and its by-products. They also demanded that the Centre increase the minimum selling price of sugar from the existing Rs 31 per kg to Rs 60 per kg, arguing that this would help address the recurring issue of inadequate sugarcane prices.
The agitation prompted Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi to constitute a committee to examine the farmers’ demands, including an increase in the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane, a revision of the minimum selling price of sugar and other demands raised by the protesters.
Farmers had blocked traffic on the busy Pune-Bengaluru National Highway at toll plazas in Kognoli in Nippani taluk, Hattargi in Hukkeri taluk and Hirebagewadi in Belagavi taluk. They had also organised a march to lay siege to Joshi’s residence in Hubballi. The march was called off after Joshi assured them that their demands would be considered by November 26.
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had met the protesting farmers at Channamma Kittur and subsequently held discussions with them at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha and the Circuit House in Belagavi. However, these interventions failed to break the deadlock. November 2, farmers launched a jail-bharo agitation, offering to court arrest in support of their demands.
The breakthrough came after District In-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi held discussions with representatives of farmers and sugar factories on November 3 and 4. Following the meetings, the factories agreed to pay Rs 3,600 per tonne and also accepted a profit-sharing formula linked to increases in sugar prices.
Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and Hasiru Sene state president Chunappa Pujeri said the organisations had decided to withdraw the agitation following the agreement on higher sugarcane prices and profit-sharing.
“Farmers could get up to Rs 4,350 per tonne this season, and we are hopeful of securing this amount, given the shortage of sugarcane across the world. Sugar factories will now commence crushing operations, and harvesting will begin,” he said.
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Source : Deccan Herald
