The newly formed All-India Sugarcane Growers’ Association has urged the Central government to ensure uniform price for sugarcane across the country besides directing sugar producers to bear the cost of harvesting and transportation of sugarcane to factories.
Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kurbur Shanthakumar said this at a press conference here on Sunday a day after the two-day national convention of sugarcane growers concluded here.
He said 10 resolutions were passed in the convention, including demands to implement the reports of the C. Rangarajan Committee and the M.S. Swaminathan Commission.
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Mr. Shanthakumar said governments should ensure that sugar factories enter into a bilateral agreement with farmers on procurement of sugarcane and that factories clear all the dues of farmers.
There was a need for further research to develop high-yielding sugarcane varieties that could be cultivated in a short span, Mr. Shanthakumar said. In this background, agriculture mechanisation should receive adequate funds from the Sugarcane Development Fund.
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The other demands of the association include full subsidy to farmers installing solar-powered irrigation pump sets; introduction of insurance scheme for standing sugarcane crop for each individual farm; open marketing facility for sale of molasses and bagasse; directing all sugar factories to set up power plants and distribute the power generated at a minimum price to farmers, and extending the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act for the agriculture sector, including sugarcane cultivation.
Elected
The convention decided to form All-India Sugarcane Growers’ Association on this occasion and elected Mr. Shanthakumar as its national president, said president of the Confederation of Indian Farmers’ Associations Sathyanam Singh.
Confederation general secretary P. Changala Reddy was present.