Sugarcane farmers in Belagavi have temporarily suspended a month-long intense agitation after receiving only a promise to review their demands, despite their initial insistence on an immediate Minimum Support Price (MSP). Leaders from the State Farmers’ Union and Hasi Sene (Green Army) made the decision to pause the protests, a move that has sparked dissatisfaction among many farmers who felt the leaders should not have retreated so abruptly after the Chief Minister personally intervened and a joint committee was formed.
The farmers’ demands this year shifted from the previous year’s focus on incentive money to three specific issues: an MSP of ₹60 for sugar, full government procurement of ethanol, and a rate of ₹5,500 per tonne for sugarcane. With the authority to set sugar MSP and the responsibility for ethanol procurement lying with the central government, the farmers directed their anger primarily at the Centre. The agitation was so intense that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar visited the protest site uninvited after the National Highway was blocked for two days, causing losses estimated in hundreds of crores of rupees and significant inconvenience to the public. Despite the CM’s plea for the farmers to stop the march and negotiate on the ground, the protesters continued, even conducting a mock funeral procession for Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
The central government has formed a joint committee under the leadership of former NITI Aayog member Prof. Ramesh Chand, with members appointed a week ago. However, the farmers had not abandoned their goal of achieving a ‘Hubballi Chelo’ (a specific demand or outcome) until Minister Pralhad Joshi requested them to wait for the committee’s report, expected to be ready in about a month. The farmers have agreed to step back pending this report.
Regarding the MSP, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had stated that it would be difficult for the central government to fulfill the demand, as any increase would have to apply to all states, not just Karnataka. He also requested time until the end of the Statehood Day celebrations to discuss the issue with all stakeholders, including the central and state governments, sugar factories, banks, farmers, and sugar company officials. Notably, the state government did not provide any assurance regarding the ₹1,000 per tonne incentive money it is supposed to pay, and farmers criticized the leaders for not pressing the state government on this point.
Farmers question the direct benefit of higher sugar prices and ethanol procurement, as these benefits primarily accrue to the factories. Leaders argue that stronger factories will lead to better rates for sugarcane. Currently, the market rate for sugar is ₹31 per kg, while factories pay ₹33 per kg for sugarcane, including an additional ₹10 per kg for conversion, resulting in a conversion rate of ₹1,000 per tonne. Leaders calculate that if the sugar price rises to ₹60, they can demand an increase in the conversion rate to ₹50 per kg.
