Farmers demand higher prices for sugarcane in the wake of drought, reduced yield

Farmers demand higher prices for sugarcane due to drought and reduced yield. Leaders urge State govt to ensure factories pay at least ₹4,000/tonne. Some suggest farmers be treated as shareholders in factories to share profits. Farmers willing to share profits & losses if they become shareholders.

Farmers associations have demanded that sugar factories pay higher prices for sugarcane due to the drought and reduced yield this year.

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene leaders submitted a memorandum to the State government demanding that it ensures that all the factories pay at least ₹4,000 per tonne of sugarcane supplied.

Bheemasheppa Durgannanavar and other leaders have urged the State government to ensure that the factories pay at least ₹4,000 per tonne of sugarcane.

“The Union government has fixed a fair and remunerative price for sugarcane at ₹3,150 per tonne, which is 3.3% more than the price announced last year. However, this is not enough. Farmers will need at least ₹4,000 per tonne of sugarcane to tide over the losses suffered by them due to drought,” he said.

“Some factories like Satish Sugars have announced a procurement price of ₹3,000 per tonne, which is less than the fair and remunerative price. Sugar is likely to fetch higher prices as sugarcane production is low. Factories should hence pay higher prices for sugarcane,” he said.

Some other leaders argue that sugar factories should treat farmers as shareholders and share their profits with them.

“All factories are now buying sugarcane in bulk, as raw material. Post the purchase, the relationship between the farmers and the factories ceases. The farmers do not get any more money even if the factories make higher profits. We want this system to change. Farmers should get a part of the profits in all the products manufactured by the factories,” Krishik Samaj leader Sidagouda Modagi said.