Karnataka's Sugarcane Crisis: Why Farmers Demand PM Modi's Intervention

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, the Chief Minister announced that he will hold talks with sugar factory owners on Friday morning and meet farmer leaders in the afternoon.

Siddaramaiah said the Cabinet has decided to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an urgent meeting to discuss farmers' demands and the impact of central policies on the sugar sector.

"FRP has been determined by the BJP-led Central government. Farmers should not fall prey to the double standards of BJP leaders in the state, who have always betrayed them," he said, questioning why Union Minister Pralhad Joshi "did not attend the farmers' protest meeting."

The Chief Minister said the Cabinet passed a resolution to discuss with the Prime Minister the consequences of central policies related to sugar export restrictions and FRP fixation. "I have been closely monitoring the ongoing protests in Belagavi, Bagalkote, and other districts. Instructions were issued to officials to hold talks with both sugar factory owners and farmers," he said.

Siddaramaiah noted that the Belagavi Deputy Commissioner had persuaded factory owners to pay Rs 3,200 per tonne for 11.25 per cent recovery and Rs 3,100 per tonne for 10.25 per cent recovery, excluding harvesting and transport charges.

"However, the opposition is trying to politicise the issue, creating confusion," he said, clarifying that the state's role in sugarcane pricing is limited. "The Centre fixes the FRP every year. The state's responsibility is only to ensure payment of FRP, fair weighing, and timely settlement," he said.

"The fixation of FRP is entirely the Centre's responsibility under the Essential Commodities Act. From 2022-23, the recovery rate was raised to 10.25 per cent, causing injustice to farmers," he said, adding that the last sugar MSP of Rs 31 per kg was fixed in 2019 and has not been revised.

Siddaramaiah accused the Centre of halting sugar exports and adopting a discriminatory ethanol policy. "Karnataka can produce 270 crore litres of ethanol, but the Centre allotted only 47 crore litres for 2024-25," he said.

He added that his government had installed digital weighing machines in sugar factories and APMCs to ensure transparency. "In 2024-25, sugar factories crushed 522 lakh metric tonnes, and Rs 19,569 crore was paid to farmers," he said.

"Despite this, opposition parties are misleading innocent farmers. Our government believes in dialogue and democratic processes," Siddaramaiah asserted.

He said the Cabinet resolved to urge the Prime Minister to intervene immediately to revise the FRP, reduce the recovery rate, and permit sugar exports. "No matter how many challenges arise, our government will remain steadfastly pro-farmer," he said.

- IANS