BANGALORE: Growers of sugarcane, onion, arecanut and coconut are in distress in several districts of the State owing to the steep fall in prices of these commodities. They are also unhappy over the delay in procurement and the low procurement prices offered by the Government.

Growers of sugarcane and onion in north Karnataka and arecanut growers in coastal and Malnad districts have been holding protests demanding remunerative prices for their produce. A meeting of sugarcane growers with Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa ended in a stalemate on Wednesday as they demanded that the Government fix the price of sugarcane at Rs. 1,200 a tonne.

Activists of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha Horata Samithi observed bandh in Tiptur and Arsikere on Monday and Tuesday in protest against the Government's "failure" to buy copra despite announcing a support price of Rs. 4,775 a quintal. Copra prices crashed from Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 3,900 a quintal in the past one month.

Sugarcane growers are distressed by non-commencement of crushing operations by Ugar Sugar Factory of Belgaum, Godawari Sugar Mills, Prabhulingeshwar and Neerani sugar factories (all in Bagalkot district) and Renuka Sugar Factory in Haveri. Financial losses incurred by cooperative factories and the fall in sugar price from Rs. 1,800 a quintal in 2005 to Rs. 1,500 a quintal in the open market this year are the other factors that have resulted in the fall in the price of sugarcane, according to officials of South India Sugar Mills' Association.

The strike launched by sugarcane growers of Bagalkot entered the eleventh day on Thursday. They are demanding opening of factories and a one-time payment of Rs. 1,200 a tonne for cane. Sugarcane growers of Haveri district on Thursday held a meeting with Sugar Minister S.A. Ravindranath.

Officials of the Agriculture Department said that copra prices had slumped on account of indiscriminate import of edible oil. Import of edible oil increased from 26.22 lakh tonnes (Rs. 7,588.93 crore) in 1998-99 to 45.42 lakh tonnes (Rs. 10,755.65 crore) in 2004-05. The production of edible oil in the country was estimated at 70 lakh tonnes while the consumption is 80 lakh tonnes.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail