All stakeholders need to find solutions to issues of sugarcane growers, says Karnataka CM

Karnataka’s Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

Karnataka’s Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar struck a conciliatory tone during a meeting with sugar industry representatives and legislators in Belagavi on October 26.

“All the stakeholders need to jointly find solutions to the problems of sugarcane growers and the sugar industry. Nothing will be achieved by blaming anyone,” he said in his introductory remarks at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.

“When the earlier government led by Siddaramaiah tried to find fulfil the demands of farmers by increasing the State Advised Price of sugarcane to ₹3,300, it was met with questions. Though nearly 80% of factories paid up, some did not. Some even approached the court against it. The government had taken these decisions by respecting the concerns of farmers. It was also decided that the government would contribute a portion of the price to be paid to farmers while the sugar factory owners would provide the remainder. Officials say that those who failed to comply with this order have approached the court. It is clear that sugar factory owners have failed to win the trust of farmers.

“The state government bears the responsibility of protecting both the farmers and the factory owners, and has to take a decision that will be accepted by all. The responsibility to provide a solution lies with the sugar factory owners, the Central Government, and the State Government. The State Government is also tasked with maintaining peace, law and order in Karnataka. All of us have to understand the implications of all our actions,” he said.

“Sugarcane growers face some problems. The sugar industry also has some issues. However, this is not limited to Karnataka. This issue persists in other States as well, including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. The price of sugar in the market has not increased for the past 10 years. With no price increase for 10 years, farmers have suffered significant losses. Consequently, they have demanded a price of up to ₹6,000 per tonne of sugarcane as compensation. Farmers say, the main reason behind this is that the Union Government has not revised the Minimum Selling Price of sugar. They are seeking a revision,” he said.

“Sugar factory owners face several challenges, like finances and banking to concerns regarding ethanol and power pricing. Given the complexity of the issue, I cannot take any decision unilaterally. That is why I had asked the farmers for some time, explaining that I needed to consult with all stakeholders. Today, the entire government is present before you. Legislators and members of Parliament have their own respective pressures to deal with. We must find an amicable solution to this problem. This is not a forum for politics; there are other platforms for that,” he said.

“We are not taking sides here. If the factories cease to exist, farmers will suffer. Conversely, without farmers, the factories cannot survive. Therefore, we must protect the interests of all parties. Please offer your suggestions toward finding a solution. Do share your concerns,” he said.

“The livelihoods of the farmers and sugar factory owners are of paramount importance to us. I have held discussions with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who has expressed the view that this issue needs to be resolved. Sugar factory owners must win the trust of farmers and ensure that no room is left for discontentment. Even if following government orders places a burden on you, you must take a decision to reach an amicable resolution. Some vehicles were set on fire last year. We need to ensure that such a situation does not arise again,” he said.

“Union Minister Pralhad Joshi hails from our State and is making his own efforts to address the situation. However, all of us need to present our case before him and urge him to do whatever it takes to resolve this issue. We have been making our efforts. During the farmers’ protests, I met Mr. Joshi, along with the district-in-charge minister and the local MLAs. I met Mr. Joshi again. It seems to me that he has taken an interest in the issue. He realises that though this is a national issue, it has been raised by Karnataka’s farmers. A decision, however, must be reached at the national level.

“MPs have updated me on the activities of the Central panel headed by Ramesh Chand. Let us engage in discussions with the farmers and approach the matter with a generous heart. Together, let us arrive at a resolution. I believe the issues of ethanol, molasses, and sugar pricing are being discussed at the Centre. Sometimes, government decisions are often influenced by the context of upcoming elections in certain States. The government of Karnataka spends ₹20,000 crore annually to provide free electricity for pump sets of farmers. This year, that figure is set to reach ₹32,000 crore, as farmers are consuming more electricity due to a lack of rainfall. Sugarcane yields have also declined. Sugar production has fallen. All these issues need to be communicated to the Union Government properly,” he said.