Seeking fair price for sugar cane, farmers threaten protest

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene have threatened to lay siege to the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha here during the first day of the winter session of the State legislature demanding the government to keep its words on the prices announced for sugar cane during the previous year, and announce prices for the current year.

Sangha president Kodihalli Chandrashekhar told reporters here on Monday that Chief Minister Siddaramaih-led government has failed to protect the interests of farmers and succumbed to lobby from sugar factories. If it wants to avoid protests during the session, it should meet the demands of farmers, he added.

Union government has announced Fair and Remunerative Prices (FRP) as Rs 2,200 per tonne of sugar cane with 9.5 recovery. Sugar cane recovery here varied from 10.5 to 12.5. Hence, State Advisory Price (SAP) should be announced based on the recovery, he demanded.

Chandrashekhar condemned the government for not holding SAP committee meeting for the past one year.