Sugarcane stir ends as factories agree to pay Rs 3,300 per tonne, clear dues

Speaking to reporters, minister Shivanand Patil said, “Strict action will be taken against the perpetrators of the violence reported on the premises of the factory on Thursday."

Bagalkot: The agitating sugarcane growers called off their indefinite protest on Friday after the factory owners agreed to pay Rs 3,300 per tonne of cane irrespective of recovery rate.

In a meeting arranged by district in-charge minister R B Thimmapur with the warring parties, the sugar factory owners agreed to clear the pending dues of the farmers. Also, they agreed to pay the farmers
Rs 3,300 per tonne, without taking recovery rate into account, within 14 days of the cane supply. The factories have started crushing sugarcane from Friday itself.

The stalemate between the sugarcane growers and the factory owners ended in a meeting on Friday. The sugar factories in the district have begun crushing sugarcane from Friday. The government will take necessary steps to ensure that the farmers are not troubled, Thimmapur told DH.

“The factories have already cleared Rs 100 crore dues. They have agreed to clear the remaining Rs 25 crore in two days. Further, the factory managements have agreed to pay Rs 3,300 per tonne of cane, irrespective of the recovery rate. Hence, we have decided to end the protest,” Basavant Kamble, Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene district president, told DH.

Kamble expressed regret over the violence and arson near a sugar factory in the taluk in which more than 20 tractors were damaged.

Won’t spare arsonists: Shivanand Patil

Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil on Friday visited Godavari sugar factory at Sameerwadi of Mudhol taluk and took stock of the damaged caused to tractors and the produce after a few miscreants resorted to stone-pelting and setting the sugarcane-laden tractors on fire on Thursday.

He listened to the woes of the farmers who had lost their tractors and the produce after the protest took a violent turn.

Speaking to reporters, the minister said, “Strict action will be taken against the perpetrators of the violence reported on the premises of the factory on Thursday. A team of officials, led by the assistant commissioner, is already assessing damage caused to tractors and sugarcane. The government will take a decision on the quantum of compensation to the affected farmers. The compensation will be released by the state government or from the Belagavi-based S Nijalingappa
Sugar Institute.”

He said that four tractor engines and over 20 trailers and tyres were damaged in the arson. This apart, sugarcane loaded in over 100 tractors and four two-wheelers parked on the premises were gutted in Thursday’s violence.