BENGALURU: Hundreds of farmers from across Karnataka staged a protest at Freedom Park on Monday, demanding a complete waiver of agricultural loans, compensation of at least `25,000 per acre for crop losses and an additional `800 per tonne for sugarcane growers. They warned of statewide protests if the government failed to address their demands.
The protest was organised by the State Federation of Farmers’ Organisations and State Sugarcane Growers’ Association under the leadership of state president Kurubur Shanthakumar to highlight the agrarian crisis caused by drought, crop losses, rising input costs and mounting debts.
The organisations said 217 taluks in the state had been severely affected by drought, resulting in crop losses across approximately 20 lakh hectares. They estimated the total crop loss at more than `20,000crore and demanded immediate relief, including the waiver of all agricultural loans. Raising slogans demanding justice for farmers and an immediate loan waiver, protesters said farmers were unable to recover the money invested in seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, labour, agricultural machinery and irrigation because of inadequate rainfall and crop failures.
The organisations demanded that the government release compensation of at least Rs 25,000 per acre to drought-hit farmers without delay. They said temporary relief measures were insufficient and called for long-term solutions to address the recurring agricultural crisis.
They also sought a two-year suspension of loan recovery by private finance companies from rural women who had borrowed money through weekly and monthly instalment schemes. The organisations urged the government to introduce stringent legal measures to protect women borrowers from harassment by private lenders.
They urged the Centre to revise the Fair and Remunerative Price, citing rising production costs, and asked the Karnataka government to provide an additional `800 per tonne over and above the central price, on the lines of Tamil Nadu.
Before the protest, farmers coming from other districts to participate in the protest were stopped by police after getting off at Bengaluru City railway station.
