Chaos during inconclusive Karnataka government meet with farmers, sugar factories

Chaos reigned at a three-hour-long meeting the government had convened between sugar factories and sugarcane farmers to fix the fair and remunerative price (FRP), which ended inconclusively on Saturday.

Sugar Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa ended the meeting by saying that a decision on fixing the FRP would be taken at another meeting he said he would convene with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Saturday's meeting at Vidhana Soudha was delayed by 45 minutes, angering some farmers. Also, they were upset to see leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, who has been accused of double-crossing farmers, at the meeting. Following arguments, Munenakoppa managed to calm down the warring sides and the meeting started.

Sugarcane farmers demanded the FRP to be fixed at Rs 5,500 per tonne. Sugarcane Growers' Association president Kuruburu Shanthakumar, Raitha Sangha president Badagalapura Nagendra and farmer leader Sunanda Jayaram argued that the FRP should be fixed in a manner that does not burden them with harvesting and transportation costs. They also demanded measures to "stop factories from cheating farmers while weighing the yield".

However, South Indian Sugar Mills Association president Jagadish Gudagunti said the FRP cannot be more than Rs 3,500 per tonne as "production costs have risen for factories". This led to a din as farmers protested his statement. Some farmers displayed their anger by hurling water bottles.

Meanwhile, Shanthakumar has set an October 20 deadline for the government to fix a "proper" FRP. "If the government fails to fix a proper pricem we will be forced to hit the streets," he said.

Speaking to reporters, Munenakoppa said that he would discuss with Bommai. "I will convey to the CM all the issues that were discussed in the meeting. A decision will be taken keeping the interest of the farmers in mind," he said.