Belgaum: Unable to find a solution to the problem of excess sugarcane production for the 2006-07 crushing season, the State will be faced with the same situation in the next season.

The problem is likely to be more severe during the next crushing season beginning October 1, as the total production is expected to cross 260 lakh tonnes, 20 lakh tonnes more than the preceding season. Out of the 240 lakh tonnes of sugarcane produced during the 2006-07 season, 12 lakh tonnes remained uncrushed, most of it in unregistered areas.

According to Kurubur Shantkumar of the Karnataka State Kabbu Belegarara Sangha, the Government has not made any serious attempt to find a solution to the excess production of sugarcane.

Purchase price

Talking to presspersons here on Thursday, he said the State Government had directed all cooperative sugar factories to pay farmers Rs. 1,200 for a tonne of sugarcane. Except two or three factories, others were paying between Rs. 600 and Rs. 800 a tonne, he said.

It was a clear case of refusing to implement the statutory minimum price fixed by the Government. The Government should initiate stringent measures against all such managements and ensure that farmers were paid the difference. The dues owed to farmers by the factories amounted to nearly Rs. 160 crore, he said.

The State Government and the Centre were more concerned about the problems of the sugar factories than those of the growers.

Though the State Government announced that compensation would be paid for the uncrushed sugarcane, the benefit would go only to the registered growers.

The fact was that of the 12 lakh tonnes of uncrushed sugarcane, over 90 per cent was produced by unregistered growers. If the Government was truly concerned about farmers, it should provide compensation to all the sugarcane growers, Mr. Shantkumar said.

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