Tension prevailed for some time at Ganapathi Sugar Factory on Tuesday as large number of farmers from the factory harvest area staged a dharna and ‘vanta varpu’ before the factory demanding that local sugarcane be taken for crushing first.
The farmers, led by Bharatiya Kisan Sangh leader Anji Reddy and Cane Development Corporation Chairman Vijayender Reddy and others, demanded that the management of the factory pay ₹3,250 per tonne for their sugar and take it for crushing first.
The factory harvesting area comprises Sangareddy district, parts of Zaheerabad area and parts of Medak district.
Though the crushing has already begun in the factory, there has been no decision on the rate to be paid to the farmers despite discussions held between farmers and representatives of sugar industries recently presided over by Joint Collector Vasam Venkateswarlu.
The sugar factories have been offering ₹3,000 per tonne while the farmer are demanding an additional ₹250 as the Centre has increased the fair and remunerative price for sugar cane by ₹250.
The farmers from the harvest area staged a protest following reports that Ganapati Sugars located at Fasalwadi was getting sugarcane from parts of Trident area in Zaheerabad and some villages in neighbouring state of Karnataka. The sugarcane farmers were upset as the delay would lead to their crop drying up.
“Pay us ₹3,250 per tonne as is being paid for the sugarcane being brought from other areas and commence the crushing of cane from the harvest area first,” the farmers demanded.
