MYSURU: The Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association has called for a statewide stir to protest the delay in fixing price of sugarcane. Association president Kurbur Shanthakumar said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the Sugar Minister and others have held four meetings with framers and sugar factory owners but nothing has materialised despite farmers staging stir for the last four months.
Accusing the State Government of giving in to sugar factory owners’ lobby, Shanthakumar said the government must fix a minimum of Rs 3,500 per tonne of sugarcane. Alleging that the government has betrayed farmers by not fixing sugarcane prices, he lashed out at MLAs, MPs and ministers for not standing in support of 30 lakh sugarcane growers.
When the Home Minister and MPs can take a delegation of areca farmers to New Delhi, why have they neglected sugarcane growers? he asked. Shanthakumar said the farmers will block roads on October 27 and stage a protest in front of all DCs’ offices on October 31.