Bidar: Cooperative sugar factories in the district have decided to buy sugarcane from farmers at Rs. 1,100 per tonne, which the latter is not happy about. Farmers' associations have been demanding a minimum of Rs. 1,600 per tonne.

Sugarcane crop stands on 75,320 acre of land. With an average yield of 30 tonne per acre, farmers in Bidar are expected to produce 22.56 lakh tonne of the crop. There are 10 Khandsaris (mini sugar factories), and three co-operative factories. An average of two lakh tonne is used to make jaggery by farmers in their backyard. Almost 16 lakh tonne of sugarcane is expected to be available to factories this year.

But despite having a good crop, farmers are not sure of getting returns on their investment. "We oppose this decision on two grounds; the price is too low and that it is unilateral," Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) state unit president Basavaraj Tambake said.

"Sugarcane cultivation is getting costlier with the rising cost of inputs every season. The price fixed by the sugar factories is very low. It discourages farmers from growing sugarcane," he says.

`Unilateral decision'

"All the three co-operative sugar factories had promised to take us into confidence before announcing the price. They have not done so," he says.

The Confederation of Indian Farmers' Associations, has submitted an estimate of cost of production of sugarcane to the Union Government's agriculture produce price fixing committee. The KRRS is a member of the CIFA. According to the CIFA estimate, the cost of producing one tonne of sugarcane is Rs. 1,524. "How can we make profits if we sell below this price," asks Shankarappa Patil Atiwal, president of the KRRS Bidar taluk unit.

The Krishik Samaj has also opposed the decision. State council member Sidramaiah Swamy has sought Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's intervention in the matter. Last year, the factories paid Rs. 1,100. "This year the cost of fertilizers, pesticides, labour and transport have all gone up. How can farmers get back their investment if factories pay last year's prices," Mr. Swamy asks.

Restrictions

He has also urged the Government to permit farmers to sell their produce to any sugar factory in the district or outside.

"The State Government's restrictions on the sale of sugarcane is not in the interest of farmers. The restrictions should be withdrawn immediately," he says.

Their side

Factories however, defend the decision. Former Minister and Naranja Sahakari Sakkare Karkhane chairman Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli says no factory, co-operative or private, can afford to pay more than Rs. 1,100 in the prevailing circumstances. Heavy taxation, restrictions on sale in the open market and ban on export of sugar have pushed sugar factories into losses, he said.

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