Now, lorry stir haunts cane growers in Mandya

Talks held between Mysugar admn and transporters fail

The talks held by the Mysugar administration with the transporters in the presence of the farmers has failed. While the transporters are involved in indefinite stir, Mysugar factory has invited new tenders for transportation of cane.

The transporters demand that the prices have to be increased in view of the spiralling fuel costs. Now, the sugar cane growers themselves have to bear the rising fuel costs and are sure to incur huge losses.

At a meeting held recently, the transporters demanded Rs 112  for a distance of one to 10 kms while it was Rs 82 last year. If the distance is more than 30 kms the factory will bear the transportation cost.

Lorry owners association secretary Nagaraju said that the decision taken at the Mysugar factory is applicable to all the other factories in the district, hence the decision taken here is important, he opined. Though three meetings were convened in this regard it has not arrived at any decision. The lorry owners have informed in prior before beginning the strike, and will not yield until the  prices are fixed, he said.

Cane development authority officer Chikkalingaiah said that the sugar cane that have been harvested is drying in the factory premises and steps have been taken to shift it through tractors. If there is delay in shifting cane for crushing, the yield may also drop, he expressed his anxiousness.

The members of the lorry owners associations in the district have extended their support to the stir.

Meanwhile, the farmers have stated that if the association creates hurdle while they are shifting the produce through tractors and lorries, Raitha sangha would intervene. They also appealed to the Mysugar management to sort out the issue by holding talks as delay of every day will affect the farmer who will incur huge losses.