BELAGAVI: Protest by farmers demanding a remunerative price for sugarcane and an increase in the minimum support price (MSP) for all crops continued for the sixth consecutive day at Rani Chennamma Circle in Bailhongal, near Belagavi, on Wednesday. Hundreds of farmers gathered at the prominent junction, raising slogans against the Union and State governments over what they called anti-farmer policies and the failure to ensure fair prices for agricultural produce.
The farmers are demanding Rs 5,500 per tonne for sugarcane and an immediate increase in the MSP for all crops. They said farmers continued to face mounting financial distress as the prices offered for their produce failed to adequately cover cultivation costs. Rejecting what they described as repeated assurances without concrete action, the farmers vowed to continue their agitation until their demands were met.
The prolonged protest has intensified the pressure on both the governments to intervene and address the concerns of sugarcane growers and farmers cultivating other crops.
The protesters warned that they would intensify the agitation across Karnataka if the governments failed to respond promptly.
The sugarcane crisis has intensified across Karnataka, particularly in North Karnataka, with farmers and sugar factories locked in a dispute over the price payable for the crop. Farmers argue that rising cultivation costs, including expenditure on fertilisers, labour, irrigation and harvesting, have made sugarcane cultivation increasingly unviable at the prices currently offered.
They are demanding a higher state-advised price (SAP) over and above the Centre’s fair and remunerative price (FRP), insisting that the existing pricing mechanism fails to adequately protect growers’ interests.
Farmer organisations have also called for greater transparency in calculating sugar recovery rates, which determine the price payable to growers and an end to deductions from sugarcane bills towards transportation. They maintain that the governments must intervene urgently to ensure remunerative prices and timely payments, warning that continued uncertainty over cane prices could deepen the financial distress of farming families across the state.
‘CM TO MEET SUGARCANE FARMERS IN BELAGAVI ON OCT 26’
Bagalkot: Minister for Small scale industries and Public Enterprises Vijayanand Kashappanavar has said that CM DK Shivakumar is scheduled to meet sugarcane growers and farmer leaders in Belagavi on October 26 to discuss their demands and address the issues.
Speaking at a meeting with farmer leaders on Tuesday, the minister said that the CM had assured them that their concerns would be discussed in detail and appropriate decisions taken. Kashappanavar directed Bagalkot DC Sangappa to immediately issue a notice to Jamkhandi Sugars over pending dues of Rs 4.35 crore calculated at Rs 50 per MT, and ensure that the outstanding sugarcane bills were paid to farmers without delay.