Meetings fail to resolve sugarcane price deadlock in Belagavi
Farmers rejected assurances from sugar factories regarding Fair and Remunerative Price payments during discussions held on Tuesday.
A series of meetings between farmer leaders and sugar factory representatives failed to break the deadlock over sugarcane prices in Belagavi on Tuesday, according to The Hindu.
District in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi held a meeting with factory officers and farmers after an initial meeting at the Deputy Commissioner’s office was delayed due to differences between farmer factions.
Minister Jarkiholi told protestors that factories are willing to pay the Fair and Remunerative Price and start crushing operations. He added that factories would provide written assurances to pay additional amounts if the Union government revises the Minimum Selling Price of sugar.
The farmers did not agree to these terms, and no consensus was reached. In-charge Deputy Commissioner Rahul Shindhe later convened another meeting at the zilla panchayat hall that lasted until late at night.
In Maharashtra, members of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatan began an indefinite rasta roko at the Kini Toll Naka on the Pune-Bangalore National Highway. Former MP and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatan founder Raju Shetti said the group is demanding ₹5,500 per tonne for sugarcane to be shared between the State government and factories.
Shetti told reporters that factories are currently offering prices between ₹3,250 and ₹3,700 per tonne based on recovery rates. Police have diverted vehicles on alternative routes near Kagal due to the protest.