BENGALURU: The meeting called between sugar factory owners and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday failed to elicit any concrete results except the hope of an amicable solution. Even as he insisted that the interests of cane farmers should be protected, Kumaraswamy had to settle for the suggestions of talks between factory owners and concerned farmers to draw the curtains on the ongoing sugarcane arrears crisis. With the talks remaining inconclusive, farmers have decided to continue their agitation until the time government provides a clear picture on payment of arrears.
While factory owners have agreed to pay Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for this year, many are unwilling to fulfil their commitment made to farmers on ex-field — informal agreements between farmers and sugar factories promising higher rates above the FRP — running into Rs 450 crore. Farmers are adamant that ex-field price be paid. Owners have now sought 15 days time to hold talks with farmers to settle the matter amicably.
The CM refused to brief the media about the closed-door discussion. However, his office released a statement. “It will be difficult for the farmers to sustain if a proper price is not given to the crop they grow. As Government is committed to protect the interests of the farmers, Chief Minister directed them (factory owners) to pay the price they had agreed for,” the statement said.
The owners have made no such promise. Instead, they have chosen to talk to their farmers directly, essentially meaning that their talks with CM were inconclusive and non-binding.
“All factory owners should come together to hold talks with farmers. Farmers need factories and we need them too. This can only be solved amicably and we hope to resolve the matter in 15 days,” said Balachandra Jarkiholi, MLA (BJP), who was present at the meeting as a sugar factory owner. Sources from the meeting suggested that while the government seems helpless this time around — essentially in the absence of a formal agreement between farmers and factory owners that spells out the agreed-upon prices, the Chief Minister has insisted on a formal agreement between parties starting next year.
To avoid confusion over pricing, the government has directed all factory owners to not just pay FRP prices but also enter into a mutual agreement with each farmer according to the guidelines issued by the government and later abide by the revenue-sharing formula decided by the Cane Control Board. The CM has also pushed for transparency in weighing and fixing recovery rate to the farmers. The owners are yet to agree to the terms put forth by the government. In the absence of a clear stand on whether their dues will be paid or not, farmers have decided to continue their protests.
Owners of 31 sugar factories, including S R Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Murugesh Nirani, Umesh Katti, Balachandra Jarkiholi and chairman of South Indian Federation of Sugar Factory Owners were present. Ramesh Jarkiholi who attended the meeting said that he was representing the government and not factory owners.
Raitha Sangha members stage protest
Hubballi: Members of Uttara Karnataka Raitha Sangha took out a protest march on Thursday, demanding the state government fix a fair price for sugarcane. They have also threatened to disrupt winter session scheduled to be held in Belagavi Suvarna Soudha next month. North Karnataka district farmers started a march from Siddaroodh Mutt and reached Rani Chennamma Circle after passing through the main roads and raised slogans against Chief Minister Kumaraswamy.
Cane growers seek CM’s official word on price
Belagavi: An unrelenting group of sugarcane growers who are on an indefinite agitation for the last two days in Belagavi continued their protest despite Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy holding a meeting with sugar factory owners. Contending that the Chief Minister did not take any decision officially on the stand-off, the agitators decided to go ahead with their stir until a concrete decision is taken by Kumaraswamy to break the deadlock.