Famers demand hike in sugarcane fair and remunerative price
Karnataka Sugarcane Cultivators’ Association protested seeking higher Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of ₹4,000 per tonne, citing increased cultivation costs. They demanded lifting of restrictions on sugarcane transportation and sale in the open market, reduction of sugar recovery rate from 10.5% to 8.5%, and installation of weighing machines at sugar mills. The current FRP of ₹3,400 per tonne at 10.25% sugar recovery rate was deemed a “betrayal” by the government. The association also sought lifting of restrictions on farming activities and water release to canals.
Members of the Karnataka Sugarcane Cultivators’ Association staged a demonstration here on Tuesday seeking higher Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for farmers.
Led by Bhagyaraju, the farmers also wanted the government to lift the restrictions on transportation and sale of sugarcane in the open market.
Mr. Bhagyaraju said that lifting such a restriction that prohibits farmers from transporting sugarcane from one district to another for sale in open market will fetch them higher and more remunerative price. This will also reduce the delay in harvesting and crushing, he added.
The association said that sugarcane cultivators from Mysuru and Chamarajanagar have been negatively affected by the higher rate of sugar recovery per tonne fixed by the government. It should be reduced from 10.5% to 8.5%.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had approved the FRP for sugarcane for the season 2024-25 at ₹3,400 per tonne at sugar recovery rate of 10.25% and the farmers described this as a betrayal by the government.
The farmers sought a revision of the FRP and wanted the government to fix at least ₹4,000 per tonne given the escalation in cultivation cost. The farmers also wanted weighing machines to be installed by APMC at all sugar mills so as to eliminate any doubts pertaining to faulty weighing, which could go against the interest of the cultivators.
Recalling the restrictions imposed on the farmers in the Kabini command area last year due to drought, the association members said that all restrictions on farming activities should be lifted and water be released to canals and help replenish the water bodies this year.
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