Karnataka releases Rs 300 cr aid for sugarcane growers, Rs 50 per tonne to be credited directly
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has released Rs 300 crore as financial assistance to sugarcane growers for the 2025-26 season, with Rs 50 per tonne to be credited directly to farmers who supplied cane to sugar factories across the state, Minister Shivanand Patil said on Wednesday.
The assistance forms part of the state's commitment to provide Rs 100 per tonne over and above the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), with the burden to be shared equally between the government and sugar factories, he added.
"As announced by the state government, Rs 300 crore has been released as financial assistance of Rs 50 per tonne to farmers who supplied sugarcane to sugar factories in the state during the 2025-26 season," Patil, who holds Sugarcane Development, Sugar, Textiles and Agricultural Marketing said in a statement.
The minister recalled that at a meeting of sugar factory owners and sugarcane growers convened by the chief minister at Vidhana Soudha on November 8 last year, a decision was taken to provide Rs 100 per tonne over and above FRP.
"It was decided that of the Rs 100 assistance, the state government would bear Rs 50 and the sugar factories would contribute Rs 50," Patil said, adding that the government has now released its share of Rs 300 crore in accordance with the decision.
Based on proposals submitted by sugar factories, the Sugarcane Development Commissioner will release the funds to the Deputy Commissioners. Directions have been issued to ensure that Rs 50 per tonne is directly credited into the bank accounts of farmers, based on the quantity of cane supplied, he said.
Similarly, the Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to ensure that sugar factory managements provide their share of Rs 50 per tonne to eligible farmers, Patil explained.
Providing details of the ongoing crushing season, the minister said, "So far, 521 lakh metric tonne of sugarcane have been crushed, and about 600 lakh metric tonne are expected to be crushed during the season."
During the 2025-26 season, 81 sugar factories have undertaken crushing operations, of which 29 have completed the process, he added.
According to him, the crushing season is expected to conclude by the first week of March, and the financial assistance has been calculated based on the estimated crushing of 600 lakh metric tonne, the minister added.
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Kadaba: Police rescue 20 cattle transported illegally, case filed against three
Mangaluru: Kadaba police rescued 20 cattle that were being allegedly transported in an unlawful manner and registered a case against three individuals in connection with the incident, Deccan Herald reported.
Acting on a tip-off in the early hours, a team led by Police Sub-Inspector Jamburaj Mahajan intercepted a container lorry near Kanvare in Noojibalthila village. The vehicle was reportedly travelling from Periyashanthi towards Mardhala.
During inspection, police allegedly found the cattle tightly packed inside the container under poor conditions. The driver was identified as Irfan (26), a resident of Belur in Hassan district. During questioning, he failed to produce any valid permit for transporting the cattle and admitted that the animals were being transported from Hassan to Kerala.
Police seized the vehicle along with the cattle.
A case has been registered at Kadaba Police Station under Sections 4, 7, and 12 of the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, and Sections 4 and 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Further investigation is underway.
