Meeting to discuss sugar price turns bitter

The annual general body meeting held to discuss and finalise the price for the sugar cane for the current year had failed and the farmers have decided to lay siege to the factory and stage a protest demanding scientific prices.

The demands put forth by the sugar cane growers seeking reasonable prices for their produce at the Mysugar general body meeting did not yield any results but were only assured that a delegation of farmers and leaders would be taken to Bangalore to discuss the same, which has disappointed the ryots.

Factory chairman Nagarajappa claimed that the factory is facing financial problems and would see brighter days in the current year.

The factory had incurred loss of Rs 1,863 lakh in the year 2009-10, he said. In all, 5,00,729 metric tonnes of cane was crushed in the year 2010-11 and 4,23,390 quintal sugar was produced. The average sugar produced was 8.4 per cent, and it is higher when compared to the production for the last 3 to 4 years.

Nagarajappa also said there is no flaws in the factory and the members can verify the records and the management is ready for any probe if they found any allegations.

The farmers stressed that an advance of Rs 1,800 was given to the cane supplied last year and an additional Rs 200 should be announced. They also sought Rs 2,100 advance amount for the sugar cane supplied during the current year and later announce the final price after holding discussions with the government.

Sunanda Jayaram, who spoke on behalf of the share holders said it was told that operation of the new mill would cost Rs 40 crore, but it was not necessary to renovate the old mill at a cost of Rs 60 crore, she stated.

Nagarajappa could not give a convincing reply to the question, but was supported by Marichannegowda of Raitha Sangha who said the chairman has improved the sick factory into a unit that crushed five lakh ton of sugar cane.