Karnataka - Mysore   

Agitating sugarcane farmers take out procession, stage play

Staff Correspondent

They have been demanding that the cane price be fixed at Rs. 1,600 a tonne

DEPICTING FARMERS' PLIGHT: Sugarcane farmers staging a play in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office in Mysore on Wednesday. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

MYSORE: Sugarcane farmers from Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts, who have launched an agitation seeking an increase in the cane procurement price, took out a semi-nude procession and staged a street play in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here on Wednesday.

Slogans raised

They shouted slogans against the Government for its "failure to fix a reasonable purchase price" for sugarcane.

The agitating farmers rejected the purchase price of Rs. 1,100 a tonne fixed by the State Government in consultation with the managements of private sugar factories.

The farmers demanded that they be paid Rs. 1,600 a tonne of sugarcane.

Paltry price

President of the Mysore and Chamarajanagar Sugarcane Growers' Association Kurubur Shanthakumar said farmers would not be benefited by the paltry purchase price fixed by the Government.

The price fixed by the Government did not correspond with the increased cost of cultivation, he claimed.

Threat

Though the farmers had threatened to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations in Mysore, they withdrew their decision in the wake of the replacement of Minister in-charge of Mysore district. Sugarcane farmers said that they would not withdraw their agitation until their demands were fulfilled.

Deputy Commissioner Selva Kumar met the agitating sugarcane farmers and promised them that he would take up their demand with Sugar Minister Ravindranath. The Deputy Commissioner appealed to sugarcane farmers to withdraw their agitation.

Mr. Shanthakumar said that the sugarcane farmers would not withdraw their agitation until a firm assurance was given to them by the Government on their demand.

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