Political crisis has hit farmers

In anticipation of the loan waiver, farmers across the State have not closed their loan accounts.

The current political drama unfolding in the State has come under flak from a section of the farmers who bemoan that no efforts were on to resolve the agricultural crisis.

The political crisis has taken the focus out of governance and resolving the agricultural problem as a result of which farmers are the worst hit, said Karnataka State Sugarcane Cultivators’ Association president Kurubur Shanthakumar. He said there was delay in implementing the loan waiver scheme. In anticipation, farmers have not closed their loan accounts. “Until the earlier loan account is closed, banks will not sanction fresh loans and in the current impasse it is the farmers who are the worst affected,” Mr. Shanthakumar added.

Sugarcane cultivation in the State has crossed 300 lakh tonnes as on January 31, 2019 and the total amount due to farmers from the sugar mills was around ₹4,000 crore and mounting by the day, the association stated. While the cost of cultivation has gone up, the procurement price does not meet the input cost, say the farmers who have expressed their helplessness over the issue. “The government has fixed the procurement price at ₹2,750 per tonne while the cultivation cost is almost ₹3,000 per tonne,” said Atahalli Devaraj, a member.

The association urged the State to compensate farmers whose land was acquired for a lift irrigation project in Periyapatana taluk of the district. The members staged a demonstration in the city on Monday and said that nearly 80 farmers’ families were in dire straits due to the failure of the government to compensate land losers.

“It has been 14 years since land was acquired for the Karadilkankere lift irrigation project which has been completed but the farmers are yet to be compensated,” said Mr. Shanthakumar.

The farmers have set a deadline of 15 days to get compensation and have cautioned the authorities of launching a dharna if the demand was not met. A meeting has been scheduled with the district administration on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

Most farmers who lost their land held very small plots ranging from a few guntas to a couple of acres and have now been rendered landless. There are 80 such families and the association has taken up their cause.