Sugarcane farmers intensify protest in Karnataka's Haveri, Mudhol

Haveri/Mudhol (Bagalkot district): The overnight protest in Haveri, demanding that the government ensure the officially fixed price per tonne of sugarcane, and the agitation in Mudhol, Bagalkot district, demanding Rs 3,500 per tonne of cane, continued for the second day on Tuesday.

“There are three sugar factories in the Haveri district. The factories are offering a rate of Rs 2,711 to Rs 2,740 per tonne, but we will not accept that. We will continue our sit-in protest until the price is fixed at Rs 3,300 per tonne,” the farmers asserted.

Deputy Commissioner Vijay Mahantesh tried to pacify the farmers, but they refused to withdraw the protest. 

“We will continue our protest until the farmers of Haveri district are paid the same price as those in Belagavi,” said Bhuvaneshwar Shidlapur, district president of the State Sugarcane Growers’ Association.

In Mudhol, Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, president of the Hasiru Sene state unit, said that the protest will continue until the government fixes a scientific price for sugarcane. In 2013, the state government had announced a subsidy of Rs 350 per tonne. A similar decision should be taken now, he said.

Anand Nyamagouda, owner of Jamkhandi Sugars, said, “If farmers supply sugarcane to factories, we will begin crushing. If not, operations will remain shut. If farmers agree to supply cane, the district administration must provide security.”