Sugarcane growers from the district on Monday staged a dharna outside the residence of Satish L. Jarkiholi, Minister for Small Scale Industries and district in-charge, to protest against the alleged delay by the State government to fix price for the crop for the crushing year 2014-15 and the failure to ensure that the sugar mills cleared dues to them for the season 2013-14.
The protest was organised by the district units of the Bharat Krishik Sangh (BKS), Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and Hasiru Sene and National Farmers’ Association (NFA). However, neither Mr. Jarkiholi nor Deputy Commissioner N. Jayaram were in town.
Addressing the gathering, KRRS district president Basavaraj Malalli, NFA president B.P. Sheri, BKS secretary Sidgouda Modgi and BKS State president Mallikarjun Jakati said the government had turned a blind eye to the problems of growers as the crushing for 2014-15 was over but the price had not been fixed. This attitude had only allowed sugar mills to exploit the growers by paying a lesser price, they alleged.
