Karnataka - Mysore   

Sugarcane growers warn of protests

MYSORE: The State Sugarcane Growers’ Association has warned of Statewide protests if the authorities fail to fix a suitable price for their produce before December 20.

The association also criticised the officials for not acting on the directions of Governor Rameshwar Thakur to fix a price for sugarcane.

The officials had not given instructions to the sugar factories on this, it said.

At a press conference here on Saturday, association president Kurubur Shanthkumar said that while Puducherry and Uttar Pradesh had fixed Rs. 1,196 and Rs. 1,300 respectively for a tonne of sugarcane, there was an inordinate delay in announcing the price in the State.

He said that under a special package, the Centre had extended interest-free loans to factories, waived tax on sugar exports, provided a subsidy of Rs. 220 for a tonne of sugarcane and waived tax on purchase of sugarcane.

“Despite all this, the factories in the State are delaying fixing a price for our produce,” he said.

Mr. Shanthkumar said it was high time that sugarcane growers voiced their concerns as a single body instead of making individual representations, which officials ignored.

“Officials and factory owners will mislead growers if they do not unite to fight for their demands,” he said.

He warned of an agitation if compensation was not given to the family of a farmer in Hosapura village in Nanjangud taluk, who committed suicide unable to bear the alleged harassment of representatives of a bank, which had extended loan to him to purchase a tractor.

He said a meeting of farmers who had taken loans for buying tractors, farmers owning irrigation pumpsets, and sugarcane growers would be held here on December 18.

Farmers from Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts would attend the meeting, Mr. Shanthkumar said.

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