Mysuru growers question sugarcane pricing announced in Belagavi district

Farmer leader Kurubur Shanthkumar addressing farmers at a meeting in Mysuru on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram

The Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association has criticised Public Works Department Minister and Belagavi district in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi for announcing a sugarcane price of ₹3,600 per tonne, claiming that it was lower than price per tonne offered by several sugar factories in the district.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, association president Kurubur Shanthakumar claimed that while some sugar factories in Belagavi had voluntarily announced a price of ₹4,000 per tonne of sugarcane, Mr. Jarkiholi had fixed the price at ₹3,600 per tonne. “The move is against the interests of growers and an attempt to mislead the farmers’ agitation,” he alleged.

The Association urged the State government to implement the State Advisory Price (SAP) based on the Rangarajan Committee report. The report recommends that sugar factories share a percentage of the revenue generated from by-products with farmers. It also sought a revision of the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), particularly for sugarcane growers in the Cauvery belt.

A delegation of farmers met Sugar and Textile Minister Rudrappa Lamani during a protest in Bengaluru last week and urged him to convene a meeting with the Chief Minister before November 20 to discuss the implementation of SAP and revision of FRP in the State, he said.

Mr. Shanthakumar alleged that several sugar factories in Mysuru and Mandya districts were not offering remunerative prices to sugarcane growers. After deducting the costs of sugarcane cutting, transportation and labour, the factories were paying farmers only ₹2,200 to ₹2,500 per tonne, he alleged.

In view of the low yield in the Cauvery belt, the price should be increased to ₹4,000–₹4,500 per tonne, he said and demanded measures to prevent alleged irregularities in sugarcane weighing in factories. A delegation of farmers had earlier submitted a representation to the district administration in this regard, he said.

Also, growers have expressed concern over the fluctuating labour charges during the sugarcane-harvesting season. There are allegations that some sugar factories had increased the cost from ₹500 in June to ₹1,000 in November. The absence of any mechanism to regulate labour cost had resulted in the exploitation of growers, he alleged.

Meanwhile, some farmers have urged the State government to announce an additional support price of ₹1,000 per tonne, citing the ₹600 support price being provided by the Tamil Nadu government.

National seminar on November 16

Sugarcane growers from various parts of the country will participate in a seminar to be held in Bengaluru on November 16. Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat are expected to take part in the seminar to discuss sugarcane pricing and the returns farmers receive for their produce, Mr. Shanthakumar said.

The State Sugarcane Growers’ Association also urged the government to nominate a farmer to the Legislative Council. The association had already submitted a representation to the governor in this regard, Mr. Shanthakumar said.

Published - November 11, 2026 07:56 pm IST