Sugarcane farmers continue protest, mills may start crushing tomorrow

Sugarcane farmers taking part in a padayatra to Belagavi from Badakundri as part of a Jail Bharo agitation for higher sugarcane prices on Wednesday.

Sugarcane farmers continued to protest in Belagavi on Wednesday against sugar factories and the State and Central governments for not announcing higher prices for sugarcane.

A team of angry farmers tried to storm the Deputy Commissioner’s office saying that the officers are delaying a coordination meeting of farmers and factory owners that was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

A team led by Ganesh Iliger gathered in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office and demanded an immediate meeting on sugarcane price.

The team complained that the officials delayed the meeting due to pressure from sugar factories. They pushed onlookers aside and tried to enter the gates forcibly. But the police stopped them. Then, the team members got into an altercation with the police and the Deputy Commissioner’s office staff.

The protestors warned that if the authorities continue to neglect their demands, they will besiege the sugar mills and intensify the struggle.

Meanwhile, a group of farmers continued the padayatra from Badakundri village to Belagavi, as part of their Jail Bharo agitation.

The farmers are expected to halt at Mukti Math on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway. Senior leader Chukki Nanjundaswami joined them for the protest rally near Hattargi village.

Farmers leader Chunappa Pujeri announced that they will disrupt the Winter Session of the Legislature if their demands are not met. The Winter Session is scheduled to begin on November 30. He said that a protest rally will be held on CP.Ed Grounds in Belagavi on Thursday.

He, however, expressed the hope that the issue will be resolved and factories will start crushing by Friday.

“We have been holding meetings with factory owners. We have been nearly 90% successful in our negotiations. However, some issues need to be resolved. We are confident that the factories will start crushing on Friday,” he said.

He expressed the confidence that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will yield to their demand for an incentive of ₹1,000 per tonne of sugar as State Advised Price.

Meanwhile, officers said that the deadlock over the prices has narrowed down to ₹400 per tonne. While the factories are reluctant to pay over ₹3,550 per tonne, farmers are not ready to accept anything below ₹4,000.

Minister Satish Jarkiholi is trying to convince both the parties to a median price of ₹3,800 per tonne. That may be announced before Friday, a senior officer said.

And, some cracks seem to have appeared in the farmers movement. A group of farmers led by Praveen Babu Sardar announced in Kittur that they will no longer support an agitation against factories and will rather prefer a harmonious solution.

He claimed that he has approached the officers in Laila Sugars in Khanapur taluk to start harvesting and transportation of sugarcane.

Another team led by Rayanna Nayak announced in Gokak that any delay in starting the crushing season will mean great losses for farmers and not factories.

He appealed to sugar factories to start crushing by agreeing to pay the Fair and Remunerative Price and then assure an increased payment if the Minimum Selling Price of sugar is revised.

Meanwhile, members of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatan continued to block the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway near Kini Toll Naka in Kolhapur district.

The police diverted vehicles away from the road on alternative routes.