BENGALURU: Sugarcane farmers in the state are demanding that the government increase the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for the produce, failing which they will launch a protest. Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, Karnataka State Sugarcane Farmers’ Association president Kurubur Shantakumar termed the government’s decision to increase the FRP by Rs 50 per ton as unscientific, and accused it of coming under pressure from sugar factories.
Fuel and domestic gas prices have increased three to four times in a year, but the government increased the FRP on sugarcane only Rs 50 per ton and that too after three years, he said. He urged the government to revise the FRP and fix the price by including Rs 3,200 as cost of production per ton.
“If the government fails to do so, over 25 lakh farmers in the state will picket the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru,” he said and gave the state one month’s time to consider their demand.
Sugarcane farmers are not getting a good yield, there is also delay in getting money from factories and they are also facing injustice in fixing prices, he said. The government has also not taken any measures to share the profits from ethanol sale with farmers as the government has come under pressure from sugar factories, he said.
Farmers in Karnataka are extending support to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s call for bandh on September 27. Farmers’ associations in the state will soon hold a meeting to discuss the details on staging a protest against the increase in fuel and fertilizer prices as well as demand implementation of irrigation projects, he added.