Farmers in Belagavi give up protest after state govt fixes Rs 3,300 per ton for sugarcane

Sugarcane farmers, who have been protesting in Belagavi for the last ten days demanding a higher price for their produce, on Saturday withdrew their protest, following the Karnataka government fixing procurement price of sugarcane, yielding 11.25 per cent recovery, at Rs 3,300 per ton.

With Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil handing over the government's order copy on the price fixation to farmers' leaders at Gurlapur Cross in Mudalagi taluk of Belagavi, farmers celebrated and withdrew the protest, officials said.

However, sugarcane farmers in Bagalkote, Mudhol, and a few other places have decided to continue with the protest, dissatisfied with the government's decision, calling it ''confusing''.

Sugarcane farmers' had staged a protest at Gurlapur Cross demanding a procurement price of Rs 3,500 per ton of sugarcane, excluding harvesting and transport charges (H&T) for the last ten days. It had also spread across various parts of north Karnataka districts like Belagavi, Bagalkote, Vijayapura, Haveri among others.

With the protests intensifying, CM Siddaramaiah had called for a meeting with farmer leaders and representatives of sugar factories on Friday.

Following the meeting, Siddaramaiah had said that Rs 3,300 (Rs 3,250 by factory owners, Rs 50 by the government) would be paid to farmers for each ton of sugarcane with a recovery rate of 11.25 per cent. For a recovery rate of 10.25 per cent, Rs 3,200 will be provided per ton.

Despite the government's announcement, farmer leader Chunappa Pujari on Friday had said that the Sugar Minister and district administration officials should formally communicate to them with the government order, along with some assurances, and until then the farmers will be at the protest site.

Minister Shivanand Patil, addressing farmers at Gurlapur, said he has tried to keep his promise.

Pujari said the Gurlapur Cross farmers' protest has ensured an additional Rs 100 per ton to sugarcane farmers across the state.

He also requested the minister to ensure that factories make timely payment to farmers and no injustice happens in deciding recovery, and to resolve other issues raised by them in the days ahead.

Pujari also requested the minister to arrange for a meeting with the CM.

The minister said he will try to resolve all the issues concerning the sugarcane farmers and do justice.

Meanwhile, farmers' leaders in Bagalkote, who have continued with the protest, demanded that the state government give them clarity on its Friday's decision, and said that the price should be fixed at Rs 3,500 per tonne.

''The Chief Minister has tried to mislead the farmers. Fixing the price based on the recovery is dangerous. Our rate should be fixed at Rs 3,500 per tonne,'' a farmer leader said.

There are 81 sugar factories in the state. Out of them, 11 are cooperative and one is government-owned.

Last year, 5.6 crore metric ton of sugarcane was produced in the state, and it is estimated that 6 crore metric ton of sugarcane will be produced this year.