Sugarcane farmers in Belagavi district of Karnataka are intensifying their protest over the price of their produce. Growers are demanding Rs 5,500 per tonne for sugarcane, and their agitation has now entered its fourth consecutive day at Gurlapur in Mudalagi taluk. Farmer leaders have gone a step further and called on growers across the state to lock the godowns of sugar factories until their demands are met.
What the farmers want
The core demand is a higher price for each tonne of cane. Reports show the demand has varied, with some groups asking for Rs 4,500, others for Rs 5,500, and earlier protests calling for Rs 3,500 as the first installment for the current crushing season. Farmers argue that they are not receiving a fair return, and they point out that sugar prices have not been revised in roughly a decade.
Their list of demands goes beyond price. Farmers want cane bills cleared within 15 days of supply, 12 hours of uninterrupted power supply, the re-establishment of a sugar commissionerate, and lower sugar recovery costs. They also want the minimum selling price of sugar raised to Rs 60, along with funds for digital weighing machines at factories.
Talks with the Chief Minister reach a deadlock
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar held meetings with farmers and sugar mill owners in Belagavi, but the discussions did not produce an agreement. Mill owners said they cannot pay a higher price for cane unless the selling price of sugar also rises. The Chief Minister said he supports the farmers, but he explained that the Union government alone can raise the minimum support price for sugar. He plans to meet Union Minister Pralhad Joshi to press the matter further.
Who has the power to decide?
The state and the Centre are each pointing to the other. State Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil said the Union government has the authority to fix the sugarcane price, and that the state cannot announce a minimum support price on its own. This leaves farmers, mills, and the state government stuck in a cycle of blame, while the crushing season moves forward.
A central committee to visit the state
A central committee examining the demands of cane growers and the sugar MSP is scheduled to visit Karnataka from October 29. Farmer leaders have asked the team to travel to Belagavi district to see the situation for themselves.
Concerns about crop quality and timing
The Chief Minister has warned that the cane has not yet been crushed, and that crop left standing in the fields for too long could dry up. Delays therefore carry a real cost for farmers, who need their produce to reach the mills on time.
Divisions within the farmers’ movement
The protest is not without internal tension. A meeting of farmer leaders at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi turned into a scuffle between supporters of rival leaders, and police had to step in to restore order. Such divisions could weaken the farmers’ united front in the weeks ahead.
What comes next
The protest will continue until an official price is announced. Farmers across the state may join the godown lock campaign if the Centre does not respond. For now, growers and mill owners remain at
