Karnataka factory owners and unions to meet over MSP hike
State Minister Satish Jarkiholi said the meeting will be led by the Deputy Commissioner to discuss sugarcane pricing.
The Karnataka factory owners association and unions are set to hold a meeting on Tuesday to discuss increasing the Minimum Support Price (MSP), according to reports by ANI and The News Mill. State Minister Satish Jarkiholi said the discussions will be led by the Deputy Commissioner (DC).
Jarkiholi noted on Monday that the government does not have total control over the situation as talks are ongoing between the unions and the factory owners' association. He stated that if the MSP is not raised, people will face significant difficulties.
The dispute involves sugarcane and sugar prices between farmers, mill owners, and the state and Central governments. On October 24, Prem Chougala, General Secretary of Karnataka Raitha Sangha Hasiru Sene, outlined demands including a Rs 1,000 per tonne support price from the state and Rs 4,500 per tonne from sugar factories.
Other demands include stopping alleged malpractice regarding deductions for moss or muck during weighing. Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan said farmers also want the sugar MSP increased to Rs 60 per quintal.
Farmers have further requested 100 per cent ethanol allocation for Karnataka from oil marketing companies (OMCs). Roshan noted that only 30-40 per cent was allocated to the state last year, causing cash flow issues for factories.
A final demand involves separate pricing for domestic and commercial sugar, with the latter priced higher to improve returns for farmers and mills.