Farmers from the Karnataka State Sugarcane Cultivators Association reiterated their demand for higher fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane.
At a meeting convened here on Thursday, January 11, the farmers deliberated on the major issues plaguing the agricultural community and said that FRP for sugarcane should be increased to ₹4,000 per tonne. At present, the FRP is ₹3,150 per tonne and the farmers said that it was less than the cultivation cost.
The Modi government came under attack for failing to implement some of the promises made that led to the farmers withdrawing their year-long agitation. Given the crisis being faced by the farmers the government should announce a waiver of all agricultural loans, said Kurubur Shanthakumar, president of the association.
He said a mega rally will be held in Delhi under Samyukta Kisan Morcha and farmers from different parts of the country will converge for a Maha Panchayat to be held on January 13.
He said as many as 14 Kisan conventions have been held in different parts of the country to create awareness of the issues and the demands of the farmers and a rally will be held in the nation’s capital to press for the demands.
Mr. Shanthakumar said other demands include withdrawal from the WTO regime to protect the collective interest of the farmers; pension for all farmers above 60 years of age, revamping the crop insurance policy to ensure that all crops are covered under it unlike the present regime wherein only a few notified crops are eligible for insurance cover.
The association members said that a private sugar mill was misleading the government with fake figures on arrears due to the farmers. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should immediately order an audit to ascertain the facts and ensure that the farmers receive their due, according to the association members.
The farmers also sought the implementation of Dr. Swaminathan Committee Report on agriculture in fixing the minimum support price for crops so as to benefit the farmers.
