Farmers’ organisations will block the Hattaragi and Hire Bagewadi toll plazas on the Pune–Bengaluru National Highway on Tuesday, October 13, after talks with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi failed to resolve their demands in New Delhi on Monday.
The protest will be part of the ongoing agitation by sugarcane growers seeking higher prices for sugar and sugarcane. Farmers’ leaders have also announced plans for a statewide protest next month.
Chunappa Pujeri, a leader of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), said more than 100 representatives of the KRRS, Hasiru Sene, Kabbu Belegarara Okkoota and other farmers’ organisations travelled to New Delhi to participate in discussions with Joshi.
The delegation demanded an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sugar and the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane. However, the talks ended without an agreement, Pujeri said.
He said farmers had highlighted the sharp rise in agricultural input costs over the years, while the MSP for sugar had remained unchanged for nine years. According to Pujeri, the minister sought at least a month to arrive at a decision on the issue.
Criticising the delay, Pujeri questioned why the government could revise fuel prices quickly but required a month to consider farmers’ demands.
He also alleged that the meeting was an attempt to delay the farmers’ agitation rather than resolve their concerns.
Another key demand was the introduction of differential pricing for sugar, allowing sugar factories to sell sugar to industrial consumers at higher rates. The proposal was not accepted during the discussions, he said.
“We have been fighting for our livelihood and remunerative prices for sugarcane for the past four months. The Union government has remained insensitive to our grievances. It has become clear to us that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi are against farmers’ interests,” Pujeri said.
Other demands
The farmers’ organisations are also demanding that:
Sugar factories begin the crushing season within a week.
All pending dues to sugarcane growers be cleared.
Farmers receive an assurance of higher prices than last year.
Sugarcane and maize farmers receive a higher share of the profits from ethanol sales.
With Monday’s talks ending without a breakthrough, farmers’ organisations have decided to resume their agitation with the blockade of the Hattaragi and Hire Bagewadi toll plazas on Tuesday.
Clarify the October 13 weekday
Use legally cautious protest wording
Fix the sugar MSP explanation