Hundreds of sugracane growers from Chamarajanagar and Mysore districts staged a day-long protest in front the residence of District in-charge Minister V Srinivas Prasad here on Monday.
Police had a tough time dealing with the protestors as it caused traffic snarls on the busy Mysore-Hunsur road.
Speaking on the occasion, State Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kuraboor Shanthkumar alleged that government had not understood the difficulties of the growers, while the policy makers led luxurious life styles.
“Sugar factories are making a huge profit, while the growers are given meager prices for their yield. Officials concerned and ministers have turned blind to our problems,” he alleged. Major sugar factories in the State are owned by a single family from Tamil Nadu, which hold the monopoly, with the government having no power over them.
He said the though the State government stipulated the remunerative price for cane at Rs 2,650 per tonne, the Bannari Amman Sugar Factory had been paying only Rs 2,400 to the growers, flouting the government order issued two months ago.
Demands
The growers demanded a minimum Rs 2,500 per tonne of sugar cane; harvesting, wages and transportaion costs to be borne by the government; immediate payment of dues and arrears to farmers; and uniformity in price fixation.
Protest to continue
Protestors said that they would continue to agitate in front of the residences of Chamarajanagar District in-charge Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
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