Worries pile up for Karnataka cane farmers

Sugarcane growers of Karnataka have decided to launch an indefinite stir in Bangalore on March 21 to protest the delay in payment for their produce.

President of Karnataka Sugarcane Growers’ Assoc-iation Kurubur Shantakumar said here on Monday, farmers were facing hardship as sugar factories were not paying them a scientific price. He demanded the state government’s intervention and implementation of the SA Patil Committee’s recommendations on fixing of price for sugarcane. He said there were 58 sugar factories in the state and they were paying different prices to farmers. Over 40 factories owe farmers Rs 1,500 crore, he added.

Farmers were facing trouble in the wake of increased cost of production, labour charges and transport cost. There has been hike in the price of sugar and its byproducts and the factories were earning profit. However, they were not paying the farmers their due, he said and urged the government to initiate action against such factories. Karnataka has 2.5 million sugarcane growers and the government earns Rs 6 crore every year through tax from this sector, Shantakumar said and alleged that the government was also apathetic towards farmers.