Sugar cane growers hold protest in Ch'nagar

As a precautionary measure, the police arrested the agitators and later, released them.
Earlier, the protesters shouted slogans against the governments for neglecting the interests of cane growers. The State Government was not ready to implement the recommendations of the SAP act as many elected representatives own sugar mills. The growers are in peril due to fall in the prices of sugar cane in market, increase in the cost of production and other factors.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has already announced the Minimum Support Price of Rs 2,100 per tonne for sugar cane. Similarly, the governments of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra too have fixed the rate at Rs 2,000 per tonne. However, the State Government is yet to make announcement in this regard.

They also wanted the government to hike the MSP for paddy, opposed privatisation of farm houses owned by Horticulture Department, implementation of Kabini Phase-11 works, to utilise Rs 100 crore released by State Government for rejuvenation of tanks and lakes in the district.

The protesters urged the Centre to lift a ban on the export of rice and sugar as it would fetch good returns for the farmers. Ryot leaders Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj, Puttaswamy and others led the protest.