DHARWAD: Members of Hasiru Sene and other farmers organisations, who were protesting for the last 10 days, will give a month-long break to their agitation following a meeting they had with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and other elected representatives on Monday morning.
The protesters are demanding a minimum support price for sugar, fair and remunerative price for sugarcane and implementation of the Swaminathan report.
Hasiru Sene president Shashikanth Guru said that following a request by Deputy Commissioner Snehal R, he and other farmer leaders attended the meeting that was held at Circuit House in Hubballli and chaired by Joshi.
The meeting started at 12.30 am and went on till 3.30 am. Joshi told farmer leaders that their demands will be considered positively, but time is required to fulfil them. After he requested them to call off the protest till such time, farmer leaders withdrew the agitation.
A committee, which will be formed to look into farmers’ demands, will visit Karnataka first. Once the report is submitted, the demands will be met. “We have trusted the words of the minister and district authorities. We were told that the committee will visit in two days,” he said.
“Sugar factories will start functioning from October 23. All sugar factories should give a uniform price to sugarcane growers. Before the factories start, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar should chair a meeting with sugar factory managing directors and ensure that the uniform price is given to farmers,” Shahsikanth Guru said.
Addressing farmers at Yerikoppa, Joshi said ensuring uniform price to sugarcane growers is the responsibility of the district administration.