Fair and Remunerative Price for sugarcane: Farmers seek early release of State’s share

Farmers from Mysuru met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday (November 10) during his visit to the city for the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting and urged him to release the State government’s contribution of ₹50 per tonne of sugarcane in the first instalment itself, instead of the second instalment as mentioned in the recent order enhancing the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for the crop.

The FRP for sugarcane has been increased by ₹100 per tonne, taking the rate to ₹3,300 per tonne (excluding harvesting and transportation charges), as against the ₹3,200 per tonne fixed by the Centre. Of the additional ₹100, the State government and sugar factories will contribute ₹50 each.

The government revised the FRP following protests by sugarcane growers in Garlapur in Belagavi district and other parts of North Karnataka.

While thanking the Chief Minister for enhancing the FRP, members of the Federation of Farmers’ Organisations and the State Sugarcane Growers’ Association appealed to him to modify the order so that the State share is released in the first instalment, citing the financial distress faced by farmers.

In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, the associations also sought urgent measures to address the rising human-wildlife conflict, noting the increasing incidents of attacks on humans and livestock in the forest fringes of Mysuru district. The farmers pointed out that three farmers had lost their lives in recent tiger attacks, while another farmer, who survived, is currently undergoing treatment in the hospital.