Mysuru: Sugarcane farmers in Karnataka have demanded the government to increase the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for crop as the cost of cane cultivation has increased.
The farmers have stated that the input cost and cultivation cost per tonne of sugarcane is around Rs 3,200 to Rs 3,500 per tonne and the FRP for 2020-21 was Rs 2,850 which is less than what they spend on growing the crop.
The state government is yet to announce the FRP for the next season. According to the new report published in Thehindu.com, during 2021, the state brought more than 5.69 lakh hectares under sugarcane cultivation and produced 400 lakh tonnes, as per government statistics. It is proposed to increase the area to 6.68 lakh hectares in the current year. Farmers say that it is possible only if the government agrees to hike FRP to the input cost level.
Kurubur Shanthakumar, President, Karnataka Sugarcane Cultivators Association said, “There are labour issues owing to the pandemic in rural areas and this will have a bearing on both sowing and harvesting in the next cycle unless the government announces a price which is both fair and remunerative.”
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