Mysuru, Karnataka : The Karnataka State Sugarcane Farmers’ Association has urged Centre to increase sugarcane price for the upcoming season and to take strict measures to prevent sugar mills from cheating the farmers over the sugar recovery rate., reported The Hindu.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, Association President Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj stated that the sugarcane harvesting season for the current year had ended. He urged the government to ensure that farmers receive at least ₹5,000 per tone, inclusive of the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) set by the Centre and additional revenue generated from molasses, ethanol, and other byproducts.
Instead of relying only on the FRP fixed by the Centre, the State government should take pro-farmer steps and a remunerative SAP to benefit the farmers, he said.
He also urged the government to ensure that weighing scales are installed in front of the sugar factories to prevent fraud in weight measurement of the sugarcane. Additionally, he called for the formation of expert committees at the local level to oversee and prevent any malpractice related to the sugar recovery rate, according the media report.
Raising concerns over pending dues, he demanded the immediate clearance of ₹950 crore owed to sugarcane farmers from previous years. The association has warned of launching protests if these demands are not met.
