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Sugarcane farmers in Bagalkote end stir after CM assures price hike
Farmers in Bagalkote district on Tuesday withdrew their 53-day protest seeking an increase in the procurement price of sugarcane after chief minister Basavaraj Bommai hiked it to ₹2,850 per ton
Farmers in Bagalkote district on Tuesday withdrew their 53-day protest seeking an increase in the procurement price of sugarcane crops after chief minister Basavaraj Bommai hiked it to ₹2,850 per ton, leaders of the agitation said.
Farmers across several districts have been demanding that the price be hiked to at least ₹2,900 per quintal. So far, the price was around ₹2,700 - ₹2,750 per ton.
Bommai took the decision on Monday after meeting the Bagalkote district collector, who in turn informed the farmers.
“We have held discussions with the District Collector and other officials. I’ve conveyed all the details to the state government. We’ve told you the chief minister’s decision on the price hike which has been conveyed to the factory owners in writing as well. The chief minister has assured that the issue will be resolved in the next seven days,” assistant commissioner Siddu Hulloli had told the farmers after the meeting.
“The sugarcane farmers’ protest has ended today. Our agitation had reached the chief minister, who has taken full responsibility to resolve our issues. He has directed factories to pay ₹2,850 per quintal and said he would make sure the hike would be implemented,” farmer leader Veeranna Hanchinal said on Tuesday.
He added that Bommai has called for meeting with the sugarcane farmers in seven days (November 29), and warned of more protests if their demands are not fulfilled.
“After the officials informed us of the decision, all the farmers welcomed it. We will make sure there is no hindrance to the supply of sugarcane to the factories. The chief minister has also said the he would hold a meeting with sugarcane farmers in the next seven days. If the state government goes back on its word, all the farmers will be on the ground protesting again, not just in Bagalkote, but across Karnataka,” Hanchinal said.
“We don’t know if the factories will agree to this but we have faith in the chief minister. We urge the chief minister to resolve the issue in the next seven days,” he added.
The protests had intensified since a week in the district and a bandh was observed in the district’s Mudhol town on November 17 after negotiations with the district’s in-charge minister CC Patil broke down. Isolated incidents of stone pelting at some factories were reported.
Last week, protesters under the banner of the Karnataka State Farmers’ Association, laid siege to the deputy commissioner’s office in Mandya district, against the government’s silence over remunerative price for sugarcane.
In Dharwad, the sugarcane farmers protested in front of the DC office earlier this month, and refused to vacate the premises until the state government revised the prices.
With the agitation mounting, Patil met the farmer leaders last week with minister for Sugarcane Development Shankar Patil Munenakoppa and water resources minister Govind Karjol
While a consensus could not be reached, Karjol had promised to bring the issue to the chief minister and resolve it within two days.
