Karnataka Sugarcane Crisis Intensifies: Farmers Demand Fair Pricing as Protests Enter Second Week

The confrontation, now extending into its second week, has brought parts of Karnataka to a standstill.

Bengaluru:

Northern Karnataka witnessed escalating tensions on Friday as protests over sugarcane pricing entered their ninth consecutive day, with frustrated farmers and their supporters resorting to stone-throwing incidents on the Bengaluru-Pune National Highway in Belagavi. This escalation reflects mounting dissatisfaction among agricultural workers who claim the government has ignored their appeals for equitable pricing while production expenses continue to rise sharply.

In a related incident on Thursday, demonstrators threw a slipper at State Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil's convoy as it passed through Belagavi.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has attributed the deadlock to central government policies and convened two consecutive meetings in Bengaluru on Thursday—first engaging sugar mill owners followed by discussions with farmer representatives—in attempts to resolve the crisis. The Chief Minister has also communicated directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting urgent discussions regarding the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) formula, which he identifies as the fundamental cause of the ongoing protests.

The prolonged standoff has disrupted normal activities across Belagavi, Bagalkot, and Vijayapura districts, prompting pro-Kannada organizations to announce a day-long bandh in solidarity with the agricultural community. Although protesters temporarily postponed a planned highway blockade, they have issued a two-day ultimatum for the government to address their concerns.

Farmers are advocating for a minimum price of Rs 3,500 per tonne of sugarcane, asserting that cultivation expenses have increased dramatically in recent years. According to agricultural unions, input costs—including fertilizers, labor, irrigation, and transportation—have nearly doubled.

Farmers report that producing one tonne of sugarcane now costs between Rs 2,900 and Rs 3,000. They note fertilizer prices have increased by 40 percent, labor costs by 35 percent, and irrigation expenses have significantly escalated.

In his Thursday letter to Prime Minister Modi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah characterized the situation as "serious" and warned about "growing unrest among the farming community." He indicated that despite multiple rounds of negotiations involving state officials, farmers, and sugar mill operators, the discussions have failed to produce any meaningful agreement.