Sugarcane growers protest in Bengaluru over rates

BENGALURU: Farmers held a massive protest in the city on Tuesday, demanding that the fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane announced by the Centre for the current crushing season should be increased.
They marched from the city railway station to Freedom Park. They had planned to walk to the Vidhana Soudha, but the police stopped them at Freedom Park. Later, some farmers led by Kurubur Shantkumar, the president of the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association, met chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and submitted a memorandum.
Farmers claim that the Rs 2,900 per tonne FRP announced by the Centre does not cover the input cost. They want Rs 3,500 per tonne.
“Last year, the FRP was Rs 2,850 per tonne. This time, it is Rs 2,900 per tonne, an increase of just Rs 50. Before last year, there was no hike for two years. But in the past years, the cultivation cost of sugarcane has almost doubled,” Shantkumar said.
In other demands, farmers said that the state government should ask sugar mills to clear dues immediately. If the payments are delayed, the mills should be asked to cough up 15 per cent interest. Farmers also want profits from the sale of ethanol and other byproducts to be shared between them and mill owners and sugarcane to be brought under the purview of PM Fasal Bima Yojana.
Sugar minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa said that he had already drawn the Centre’s attention to the issues of sugarcane growers. “I have met the Union minister concerned twice and will reach out to him again soon,” Patil said. He revealed that sugar mills had deposited Rs 26 crore with the state government towards the money they owe to sugarcane growers. The total dues are Rs 47 crore.