Belagavi (Karnataka), Oct 17 (PTI) Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said the state government was exerting pressure on the Centre to address sugarcane growers’ demands, as protesting farmers rejected his appeal to call off their agitation and threatened to resume their “Hubballi Chalo” (proceed to Hubbali) march.
The problem of sugarcane growers was not confined to Karnataka, Shivakumar said. The Centre has also constituted a committee and was holding discussions with various states.
“We are also putting pressure on the Centre to fulfil the farmers’ demands,” Shivakumar told reporters at Belagavi airport.
The farmers are demanding Rs 5,500 per tonne of sugarcane, an increase in the minimum selling price of sugar to Rs 60 per kg and a revision of ethanol prices, among other measures.
“Thousands of farmers are protesting. We are aware of their difficulties and problems. We have previously sent representatives of our government to hold discussions with them. Talks have also been held in Delhi. I have personally met the farmers and understood their problems,” he said.
Shivakumar said Union Minister Pralhad Joshi was holding discussions with representatives of other states as the issue was not limited to Karnataka, despite Joshi being from the state.
He said the government would hold discussions with both farmers and sugar mill owners before deciding on the way forward, noting that the mills were also facing problems.
“We had planned to hold a meeting with sugar mill owners, but it could not take place for certain reasons. We will listen to the farmers’ grievances, understand the problems faced by the mills and discuss possible solutions before taking further action,” he said.
On the demand for an increase in sugar prices, Shivakumar said the issue had persisted for the past 10 to 12 years and that an appropriate decision would be taken after discussions with the stakeholders concerned.
Meanwhile, sugarcane farmers protesting near Kittur in Belagavi district rejected the chief minister’s appeal to withdraw their agitation and announced that they would resume their march on Sunday if their demand for a minimum support price (MSP) for sugarcane was not met.
Farmer leader Chunappa Pujari said the agitation was directed against the Union government and would continue until the MSP was announced.
He demanded that Joshi visit Kittur by Sunday afternoon and announce the MSP, saying the union minister should meet the protesting farmers just as Shivakumar had done.
“If the demand is not met by Sunday afternoon, we will resume our foot march and launch a Hubballi Chalo protest. We will not withdraw our agitation until the MSP is announced,” Pujari said.
The growers from north Karnataka had launched a padayatra towards Joshi’s residence in Hubballi after staging a two-day blockade of the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway near Belagavi.
They decided to take their protest to Joshi’s doorstep after the Centre failed to give a clear assurance on their demands, despite setting up a committee to examine the issue.
On October 15, Shivakumar had appealed to sugarcane growers to remain patient, saying the issue affected farmers across the country and that discussions were underway with the Centre and leaders in Maharashtra.
He had said the government aimed to ensure the survival of both sugarcane growers and sugar factories, while also pointing to the impact of inadequate rainfall on crop yields.
He had said the state government had previously provided financial assistance to sugarcane growers and would continue to support them. He also urged farmers not to take the law into their own hands and called for the issue to be resolved through discussions.
(PTI News)
