Peeved by the delay in announcement of the State Advisory Price and a higher Fair and Remunerative Price for sugarcane, farmers have threatened to launch an indefinite stir in Mysuru from November 9, 2023.
This was decided at a meeting of different organisations representing the farmers in the city on Sunday, October 29. Later, Kurubur Shanthakumar, president, Karnataka State Sugarcane Cultivators Association, said that the indefinite stir will be in front of the residence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Mysuru.
He said the State government was adopting a ‘go-slow’ tactic on resolving the demands of sugarcane cultivators which included remittance of an additional ₹150 per tonne of sugaracane procured last year. With regard to present year, Mr. Shanthakumar said the cultivation cost had increased to ₹3,580 per tonne while the procurement rate fixed by the government was ₹3,150 per tonne.
‘’The Government should immediately announce an upward revision in the procurement price of sugarcane to bail out the farmers from the financial distress,” he added.
He said the area under sugarcane cultivation had shrunk due to monsoon failure this year and there were fears of a 50% reduction in yield due to moisture stress during growth and maturity period of the crop. Hence, the farmers were anxious and had decided to launch an indefinite agitation pressing for their demands, Mr. Shanthakumar added.
The Chief Minister is being given a 10-day deadline to meet the farmers’ demands, he said calling for criminal complaint and prosecution of the management of private sugar mills if found violating the State government’s orders on repayment of arrears due to the farmers.
‘Duplicity’ of Congress
On the issue of power supply to irrigation pump (IP) sets, Mr. Shanthakumar said that the government was citing monsoon failure and poor production in power plants to justify its decision to provide only five hours of electricity. But industries are being provided power on a 24x7 basis and this is a pointer to the ‘’duplicity’’ of the ruling party, he added.
There are nearly 45 lakh IP sets in the State and they should be provided with 10 hour of power supply, failing which the farmers will land in distress, said Mr. Shanthakumar.
‘’Though 220 taluks in the State have been declared as drought-affected, the government has failed to take up drought-relief works so far and hence it is our demand that fodder for animals, drinking water, compensation for crop loss etc should be immediately announced,” he added.
The meeting was attended by various office bearers of the farmers organisations.
