Karnataka   

Sugarcane growers seek compensation

DAVANGERE: Sugarcane farmers have strongly condemned the failure of sugar factories to implement a Government Order issued during President’s Rule directing them to give farmers an additional Rs. 160 a quintal over and above the actual rate for the sugarcane crop.

The farmers said most of the sugar factories, including some government ones, had not implemented the order and urged the Government to compensate them at the earliest.

The executive committee of the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers Association, which met here on Saturday, urged the Government to direct the factories to pay farmers the additional amount by July 11.

The committee also urged the Government to fulfil all other demands made by farmers. Sugarcane growers would stage a hunger strike from July 18 if the Government failed to act, the members said.

Explaining the decisions taken by the executive committee, Kuruburu Shanthakumar, president of the association, said sugarcane cultivation in the State had come down and this was due to the failure of sugar factories to provide minimum support price to farmers.

He said a delegation of farmers had met the Governor during President’s Rule and apprised him of the problems they faced.

The Governor immediately had an order passed instructing sugar factories to offer farmers an additional Rs. 160 a quintal over and above the actual price of sugarcane. But most factories had not implemented the order so far, except Mysugar in Mandya.

The Government, in order to compensate factories for their losses, had introduced a number of schemes for sugar factories. It had withdrawn the purchase tax apart from giving a subsidy of Rs. 100 a tonne. The Government had also agreed to provide Rs. 2 a km towards transportation charges and had also allowed sugar factories to sell molasses in the open market as its price had gone up from Rs. 800 to Rs. 4,000.

Since sugar factories failed to adhere to the Government Order, sugarcane growers were seeking withdrawal of the benefits given to them, Mr. Shanthakumar said.

Over 80 per cent of sugar produced was used for commercial purposes, he said and demanded that the State Government fix a statutory maximum price for sugar used for such purposes.

The farmers have also decided to meet Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and apprise him of the problems they face.

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