BELAGAVI: Sugarcane farmers have expressed strong resentment after a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi ended without any concrete decision on their demands.
Farmer leaders have called a crucial meeting at Kannada Sahitya Bhavan on Thursday to discuss the next course of action and warned of an intensified agitation against the State government and sugar factory owners over their alleged failure to address farmers’ grievances.
The inconclusive meeting has disappointed farmers who were expecting sugar factories to begin crushing operations from October 28. Citing severe drought and water scarcity, farmers said sugarcane crops were drying up in the fields and urged the State and Central governments to ensure that crushing operations begin without further delay.
Farmer leader Raghavendra Naik criticised political leaders, including former minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, District Minister Satish Jarkiholi, Dr Prabhakar Kore and Nikhil Katti, alleging that although they publicly expressed support for farmers, they had failed to provide effective assistance on the ground.
The farmers also accused sugar factory owners of causing substantial financial losses by allegedly deducting two to three tonnes of sugarcane per truckload during transportation, affecting both growers and tractor owners. They further alleged irregularities in the assessment of sugarcane weight, the MSP, and recovery rates.
Farmer leader Suresh Paragond expressed concern that the government had failed to respond adequately despite overnight protests and hunger strikes by farmers seeking a resolution to their demands.