Sugarcane growers from Hosapete taluk staged a dharna and a demonstration outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Wednesday in protest against the alleged failure of the Hosapete-based India Sugar Refineries (ISR) Factory to clear their dues.
Gosula Bharmappa, president of the Hosapete Raitha Sangha, told presspersons that the factory had to pay Rs. 26 crore for the sugarcane procured in the current season.
The arrears for 2003-04 was Rs. 24 crore and for 2013-14 was Rs. 4 crore.
He charged the ISR Factory management with going back on the promise to pay Rs. 2,290 a tonne as the price of sugarcane, as fixed by the Union government for 2014-15.
“Crushing began on December 18 and so far the factory has crushed around 1.44 lakh tonnes of cane. They paid for the sugarcane procured up to January 2, which was around Rs. 5 crore. After that, the management informed the growers that it would be able to pay only Rs. 1,800 a tonne, claiming that the factory was in financial crisis,” Mr. Bharmappa said.
Venkobappa, a member of the sangha, said that the growers were put to hardship owing to the non-payment of arrears.
“We have availed ourselves of loans to raise the sugarcane, to pay wages and to transport the produce. We are yet to repay the loan with interest,” he said.
Mr. Bharmappa said that the dharna was to draw the attention of the Deputy Commissioner towards the plight of the growers and prevail upon him to intervene in the matter and direct the factory to clear the dues at the earliest.
