Karnataka growers protest for higher sugar MSP and cane incentives
Members of the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association blocked a road in Mysuru to demand better pricing for sugar and sugarcane.
Members of the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association blocked the Mysuru-Nanjangud Road on Saturday to demand an increase in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar and a remunerative price for sugarcane, according to The Hindu.
Association president Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj led the protest and urged the State and Union governments to address the crisis faced by farmers. Bhagyaraj demanded an incentive of ₹800 per tonne for Karnataka growers, noting that Tamil Nadu provides ₹700 per tonne, Gujarat offers ₹800, and Uttar Pradesh offers ₹650 per tonne.
The association's demands include fixing the sugar MSP at ₹6,000 per quintal and revising the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) base recovery rate to 9.25 per cent. They also requested that sugar factories bear transportation costs and that a bilateral agreement be made to ensure timely harvesting and payment.
Bhagyaraj alleged that both the State and Union governments are delaying decisions. He criticised the State government for not taking a concrete decision following the Chief Minister’s meeting with farmers in Belagavi.
In Mandya district, farmers led by Borapura Shanker Gowda locked a sugar godown at Chamundeshwari Sugar Factory on Friday. Gowda claimed Union Minister Pralhad Joshi had assured a minimum price for sugar but alleged the Minister showed apathy by failing to attend a recent meeting.
Another leader, Kempe Gowda, demanded that the Centre and State government coordinate to fix the price of sugarcane at ₹5,500 per tonne.