BENGALURU: The state government on Friday defused the nine-day, intense protests by farmers, which had spread across sugarcane growing districts of North Karnataka, by deciding to increase the procurement price for sugarcane from Rs 3,200 to Rs 3,300 per tonne.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held several rounds of talks with representatives of farmers and owners of sugar factories for over seven hours before announcing that the factories will offer Rs 3,250 per tonne of sugarcane and the government will extend a subsidy of Rs 50. The protesting farmers who had demanded Rs 3,500 per tonne called off their strike after the announcement.
Last year, 5.6 crore tonnes of sugarcane was produced in the state, while this year, it is expected to cross 6 crore tonnes. The government has to now bear the brunt of the incentive.
The government also decided to consider the request of sugar factory owners to revise the tax of 60 paise per unit on the electricity procured from them.
After the meeting, Siddaramaiah told the media that sugar mills should pay Rs 3,250 for 11.25% recovery of sugarcane, excluding the cost of harvesting and transportation. “The government has decided to pay an additional Rs 50. The new procurement price of Rs 3,300 per tonne is Rs 100 higher than the price of Rs 3,200 finalised by the Belagavi deputy commissioner. Almost all sugar factory owners have agreed to this.
Separate procurement prices will be fixed which varies from district to district as per the percentage of recovery. I am confident that the farmers will agree to this,” he stated.
Siddaramaiah said the government is committed to solving the problems of sugarcane growers as the government has appealed to all sugar factory owners to come forward to help the distressed farmers.
The state has 81 sugar factories. Of them, 11 are run by cooperatives, only one by the government and the rest by private parties, he said. “Since October 30, Belagavi farmers have protested against the central government’s FRP (fair and remunerative price), demanding that it should be increased.
The Belagavi deputy commissioner held talks with the protesting farmer leaders. But farmers did not agree to Rs 3,100 per tonne of sugarcane with 10.25% recovery and Rs 3,200 for 11.25%. Farmers did not agree to Law Minister HK Patil and Sugar Minister Shivananda Patil either. After a discussion in the cabinet, it was decided to write to the central government that has created the problem,” he added.
He claimed that during the meetings on Friday, factory owners and farmers shared their problems and the losses caused by the central government’s policies. A separate meeting will be called to discuss those issues, he added.
Vidhana Soudha was buzzing with activity as high-voltage meetings were held the entire day as the CM negotiated with farmers and factory owners with the help of ministers HK Patil, Shivananda Patil, RB Timmapur and Chief Secretary Dr Shalini Rajneesh. Former minister Murugesh Nirani, who too owns sugar factories, held a meeting of sugar mill owners before meeting the CM.