Karnataka sugarcane farmers demand fair prices, Call for government action
Karnataka sugarcane farmers expressed their disappointment that the prices they received were lower than those in other states. All India Sugarcane Farmers Federation chief D. Ravindran, while speaking at the State Conference of the Sugarcane Growers, held at Kalaburagi on Sunday, September 29, 2024, condemned the current mechanism of pricing for being inappropriate.
“Karnataka's sugarcane growers are receiving a lower price despite producing higher-quality cane with better sugar recovery rates than their counterparts in Tamil Nadu and Kerala,” Ravindran said. “In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where the sugar recovery rate is less than 8.5%, farmers get ₹2,750 and ₹2,870 per tonne, respectively. However, in Karnataka, despite a sugar recovery rate of over 10%, farmers receive less. This is an injustice to Karnataka’s cane growers.”
The issue has sparked protests across the state, with farmers demanding the introduction of a State Advised Price (SAP) to ensure fair remuneration.
Ravindran emphasized the importance of unity among farmers in their fight for fair compensation, noting that sugarcane cultivation costs between ₹2,700 and ₹2,900 per tonne. With 74 sugar mills in Karnataka, 61 of which are privately owned, he accused these private mills of cheating farmers and offering unfair prices.
Ravindran further criticized the Union Government’s proposed amendment to the Sugarcane (Control) Order of 1966, which, he argued, would restrict states’ autonomy over the sale of sugar and its by-products and remove the 14-day payment rule for farmers after harvest. “This amendment is anti-farmer and should not be allowed,” he said.
Ravindran also mentioned the implementation of SAP, which protects farms, and the success of those laws in the other two states, Punjab and Haryana. He proposed that the sugarcane with a sugar recovery rate of more than 9.5% be fixed at ₹5,500 a tonne, and he urged the Karnataka government to implement similar regulations. Additionally, it introduced legislation that ensures growers will receive 50% of the profits from sugarcane byproducts.
T. Yeshwanth, the association's state secretary, agreed and added that the government is more focused on sugar mill owners than on farmers. He continued by saying that the government had virtually completely disregarded an order it had passed giving the go-ahead for all of these mills with ethanol production facilities to pay farmers ₹150 per tonne.
The conference was attended by a number of farmer leaders, activists, and union representatives, including M.B. Sajjan, Dalit activist Sudham Dhanni, and Sharanabasappa Mamshetty. All of these individuals expressed their solidarity and support for sugarcane farmers in their fight against the unfair compensation practices.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
