The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Farmers demand relief for sugarcane growers

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Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Farmers demand relief for sugarcane growers

Staff Reporter

Centre must declare MSP of Rs. 1,200 per quintal: KPRS

— Photo: G.P. Sampath Kumar

Joint effort: Members of Karnataka Pranta Raitha Sangha taking out a rally in Bangalore on Monday.

BANGALORE: Many farmers from different parts of North Karnataka on Monday went on a march demanding measures to give relief to sugarcane farmers who were in distress.

Erappa Talwar, who came from Ramdurg in Belgaum district, said the Government was not taking steps to fix minimum support price for sugarcane. “The sugarcane prices are falling and the factories are refusing to buy for crushing.” He said they were reaching a situation where they would have to burn the produce.

Bheemappa Koogi, another farmer from Ramdurg, said since they were staying next to the banks of River Malaprabha, they were forced to grow sugarcane. “No other crop survives in land where the water does not ebb for several days, especially during floods which occur every year,” he said. He added that they could not cut the crop in one year of growth when it has good milk content. “As there is a delay, we are losing the crop,” he said.

Maruti Manpade, President of Karnataka Pranta Raita Sangha, which conducted the march, said the State Government should take steps to make the Centre declare minimum support price of Rs. 1,200 per quintal of produce. “This support price will be more effective than the advisory price prescribed by the State Government. Many industries will follow it,” he said.

‘Increase avenues’

Mr. Manpade said the Government should create more avenues for the use of sugarcane rather than just relying on sugar industries. Nearly 135 lakh tonne of sugarcane has not been crushed. He said steps can be taken to open more places for preparing jaggery. With support of research, the Government can start units which would procure sugarcane for production of ethanol.

Farmers from Bijapur, Bagalkot, Bidar and Gulbarga participated in the march. A memorandum was later submitted to Governor Rameshwar Thakur.

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