Sugarcane growers pin hopes on outcome of meeting to be held by Chief Minister Shivakumar
Karnataka farmers are awaiting the October 26 meeting between Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, farmers’ representatives and sugar mill managements over demands for ₹5,500–₹6,000 per tonne of sugarcane. Other demands include higher sugar MSP, ethanol procurement guarantees and increased FRP, amid drought concerns and protests.
Belgavi: All eyes are on the outcome of the meeting that Chief Minister D K Shivakumar will hold with farmers’ representatives and sugar factory managements at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on October 26, amid farmers’ demand for a price of Rs 5,500 per tonne of sugarcane ahead of the upcoming crushing season.
The drought has threatened sugarcane yields, with farmers expressing concern over standing crops drying up and mounting distress among growers.
Farmers have been demanding a price of Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000 per tonne of sugarcane.
Their other demands include increasing the minimum selling price of sugar from Rs 31 to Rs 60 per kg, ensuring that sugar factories’ entire ethanol production is purchased without discrimination, increasing the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane by the Centre and implementing the M S Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations.
Farmers had blocked traffic on the busy Pune-Bengaluru National Highway for more than 30 hours from October 19 in support of their demands. The protests were held at Kognoli checkpost in Nippani taluk, Hattargi toll plaza in Hukkeri taluk and Hirebagewadi toll plaza in Belagavi taluk, bringing traffic on the highway passing through the district to a standstill.
With no response from the Centre to their demands, farmers launched a padayatra from the Hattargi toll plaza on the evening of October 20, intending to lay siege to the residence of Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Pralhad Joshi. Although Chief Minister D K Shivakumar addressed the farmers’ concerns at Channammana Kittur on Saturday, the padayatra continued.
It was suspended for a month on Monday in Dharwad after the protesters gave the Centre one month to fulfil their demands. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene state president Chunappa Pujeri reiterated the farmers’ demands in a video message.
He urged Shivakumar to attend Monday’s meeting with a clear response to the demand for a state government support price of Rs 1,000 per tonne of sugarcane.
He claimed that the state government collects around Rs 5,000 in taxes for every tonne of sugarcane processed and pointed out that Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu provide additional support to sugarcane growers.
Pujeri also demanded that the Chief Minister announce a price of Rs 5,500 per tonne of sugarcane and address the farmers’ other demands.
He said farmers had been informed that the Chief Minister would meet their representatives and sugar factory managements on Monday. Appealing to farmers not to panic, Pujeri said the commencement of the crushing season would depend on the outcome of the talks.
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Source : Deccan Herald
