Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers' Association members blocked Mysuru-Nanjangud Road on Saturday to demand higher sugar MSP and cane incentives. Association president Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj said, "sugarcane generated more than ₹50,000 crore in revenue for the State." Farmers want the government to fix prices and ensure factories pay dues to help them.
Farmers take protest to the streets, block Mysuru-Nanjangud Road over price row
Members of the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers' Association blocked Mysuru-Nanjangud Road on Saturday, demanding that the Union government increase the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar and the State government fix a remunerative price for sugarcane.
Association president Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj, who led a group of growers in the protest, urged the State and Union governments to address the crisis faced by sugarcane farmers. He said sugarcane generated more than ₹50,000 crore in revenue for the State and played a significant role in the economy.
Demanding an incentive of ₹800 per tonne for sugarcane growers in Karnataka, Bhagyaraj pointed out that Tamil Nadu was providing ₹700 per tonne, while Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh were offering ₹800 and ₹650 per tonne, respectively.
The association's major demands include fixing the MSP of sugar at ₹6,000 per quintal, revising the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) base recovery rate to 9.25%, increasing the market price of sugar supplied for commercial purposes and encouraging ethanol production.
Criticising the State government for failing to take a concrete decision after the Chief Minister's meeting with farmers in Belagavi, Bhagyaraj alleged that both the State and Union governments were delaying decisions instead of addressing the growers' demands.
The association also demanded that sugar factories bear the transportation costs of harvested sugarcane and that the price fixation mechanism take crop yield into account. It sought a bilateral agreement between sugar factories and farmers to ensure timely harvesting and payment.
Pointing out that delays in harvesting beyond 15 months affected crop yields and made loan repayment difficult for farmers, the association urged the government to issue an order mandating such agreements. It also sought criminal cases against sugar factories that failed to comply with orders to clear farmers' dues and demanded crop insurance coverage for sugarcane.
Meanwhile, farmers led by Borapura Shanker Gowda locked a godown storing sugar at Chamundeshwari Sugar Factory near Bharathipura in Mandya district on Friday as part of their agitation demanding revision of MSP of sugar.
Mr. Gowda claimed that the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi had assured to fix a minimum price for sugar in the interests of both farmers and sugar factories. However, the Minister's "failure" to attend a meeting convened by farmers three days ago reflected his alleged apathy towards their concerns, he alleged.
Another leader Kempe Gowda demanded that the Centre, in coordination with the State government, fix the price of sugarcane at ₹5,500 per tonne.