BELAGAVI: The meeting between sugarcane farmers and sugar factory managements convened by Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan on Tuesday ended without a consensus on cane prices for the current crushing season.
For more details : https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/talks-between-sugarcane-growers-and-management-of-factories-hit-a-deadlock-in-belagavi/article70240325.ece
Farmers had initially demanded ₹3,500 per tonne, apart from transport and cutting charges, but later scaled down their demand to ₹3,300 per tonne. However, factory representatives stated they were unable to pay more than ₹3,200 per tonne, leading to a deadlock.
The meeting, attended by Sugar Commissioner M.R. Ravi Kumar, SP Bheemashankar S. Guled, and other officials, aimed to resolve the ongoing standoff that has led farmers to protest across the district for the past several days.
Farmer leaders argued that the current costs of cultivation—nearly ₹1 lakh per acre—make it difficult to sustain at lower prices. Factory owners, on the other hand, cited rising operational costs, fluctuating sugar prices, and outstanding loans as major challenges.
BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra visited the protest site at Gurlapur, where farmers have been camping for five days, and extended his support. He announced that if the government failed to respond, the BJP would launch a statewide protest.
District In-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi assured that the issue is being handled at the district level and promised government intervention if necessary.
The Deputy Commissioner urged both sides to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution soon to avoid further escalation of the protest.
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