Kolhapur: Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti’s sit-in protest over sugar cane prices shows no signs of abating, with millers yet to respond to his demands. Shetti has vowed to continue blocking sugarcane transportation to mills until his demands are met, reported The Times of India.
Shetti is demanding an additional Rs 400 per tonne for sugarcane harvested last year and Rs 3,500 per tonne for the current crushing season. However, millers have remained silent on the matter, prompting Shetti to intensify his protest.
Hasan Mushrif, Kolhapur’s guardian minister, has appealed to Shetti to end the protest, stating that now is not the right time to escalate the agitation. He acknowledged that Kolhapur mills offer the highest price for sugarcane in the state and cited his knowledge of mill debt figures as chairman of the district central cooperative bank.
Despite Mushrif’s appeal, Shetti remains firm in his resolve, emphasizing the need for fair compensation for farmers. He maintains that millers have profited significantly from sugar production, while farmers continue to struggle financially.
With millers yet to respond to Shetti’s demands, the protest is likely to continue, potentially impacting sugarcane transportation and mill operations in the region.
