The Kalaburagi District Sugarcane Growers Association has demanded minimum ex-field rate of Rs. 2,700 per tonne of sugarcane.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, association president Dattatreya Kulkarni said that the meeting of sugarcane growers and sugar mill owners held at Kallur village in Jevargi taluk on Tuesday failed to reach a conclusion on the price. “Five hundred farmers and representatives of five sugar mills, including three from Maharashtra, participated in the meeting. While the sugar mills from the State offered a maximum of Rs. 2,000 a tonne, the mills from Maharashtra offered upto Rs. 2,500. But, farmers wanted Rs. 2700,” he said.
Mr. Kulkarni reasoned that Rs. 2,700 was very reasonable considering the amount of sugar produced from a tonne of sugarcane and better sugar price in the market. “By crushing a tonne of sugarcane, 110 kg sugar, worth Rs. 4,180, can be produced. The mills can earn money by selling the by-products as well. Our demand is hence reasonable.” He wanted the Deputy Commissioner intervene in the issue by calling a meeting of sugarcane growers and sugar mill owners for fixing a fair price.
Mr. Kulkarni said that the sugarcane growers were reluctant to sell their produce to mills in Maharashtra considering payment and transportation issues. “Maharashtra-based mills are trying to lure sugarcane growers in Kalaburagi by offering a higher price than the mills in Karnataka. They are also giving a written undertaking to buy the crop for next three years at the market rate. But our farmers are reluctant as they may have to suffer in the event of crop loss during transportation and delay in payment.”
Terming Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company’s arrangement of supplying power to rural areas four hours during day and three hours during night as an inconvenience, Mr. Kulkarni demanded uninterrupted three-phase power supply for seven hours. He also pointed out the wastage of water at Kallur bridge-cum-barrage due to poor maintenance and asked the authorities concerned to fix it.
Farmers’ leaders Narahari Patil, Shanthaveerappa Kalaburagi, Shanthaveera Patil Dastapur, Rajashekhar Peddi and others were present.
