 "Karnataka millers fall in line, start crushing")
The sugar factory owners in North Karnataka, who had refused to start crushing sugarcane as they were unwilling to pay the price fixed by the state government, have finally fallen in line. All the sugar factories in Belgaum and Bagalkot districts have started crushing since the last five days.
However, the factories have also announced that they would be paying Rs 2,000 per tonne of sugarcane, despite the state government issuing a notification on Monday announcing the minimum price of Rs 2,500 per tonne in North Karnataka.
Karnataka is the third largest producer of sugar in the country and accounts for 13 per cent of the national output annually. In 2012-13, the state’s 58 operational mills crushed 33 million tonnes of cane to produce 3.43 million tonnes of sugar.
The farmers, while placing a demand for a higher price, have been supplying sugarcane to the factories in their respective areas, fearing a loss of weight in case of a delay in cutting and crushing.
“All nine factories in Bagalkot district have started crushing. The farmers are planning to launch an agitation for a higher price after their produce is supplied to the factories and crushed. Initially, they will accept Rs 2,000 per tonne offered by the factories and keep their agitation on for the remaining amount,” said Muttappa Komar, farmers’ leader from Bagalkot.
Sameerwadi Sugar Factory has already started issuing cheques to the farmers at the rate of Rs 2,000 per tonne. Similarly, the factories in Belgaum district have also commenced crushing operations and the farmers are supplying their cane to factories.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha has launched a protest outside Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belgaum where the winter session of the state legislature is on. They have demanded higher price for sugarcane and adequate compensation for loss suffered in Bt Cotton cultivation.
In Karnataka, there are 65 sugar factories of which 58 are functioning. The cooperative sector has 22 factories, the government runs two and 34 are privately-owned. Of the private factories, 33 are owned/managed by politicians.
Belgaum district stands first in sugarcane production in Karnataka, accounting for 35 per cent of the state’s total production. With 21 sugar factories, the district produces 13 million tonnes of sugarcane every year, while the total production in the state stands at 35 million tonnes. Bagalkot has nine factories while Bidar has four. Bijapur, Gulbarga and Davanagere have three each.
Last year, farmers in Bagalkot district had produced 13 million tonnes of sugarcane in 400,000 acres of land. But this year, production has come down to 11 million tonnes. The nine factories in the district together have the capacity of crushing 70,000 tonnes per day.
Last year, 33 million tonnes of sugarcane yield was recorded in the state. However, this year, it has been reduced to 28.8 million tonnes. There has been a decline in the yield of sugarcane not only in Karnataka but also in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The area under sugarcane cultivation in the state is 350,000 hectares and the requirement by all the factories put together is 30 million tonnes.
However, the factories have also announced that they would be paying Rs 2,000 per tonne of sugarcane, despite the state government issuing a notification on Monday announcing the minimum price of Rs 2,500 per tonne in North Karnataka.
Karnataka is the third largest producer of sugar in the country and accounts for 13 per cent of the national output annually. In 2012-13, the state’s 58 operational mills crushed 33 million tonnes of cane to produce 3.43 million tonnes of sugar.
The farmers, while placing a demand for a higher price, have been supplying sugarcane to the factories in their respective areas, fearing a loss of weight in case of a delay in cutting and crushing.
“All nine factories in Bagalkot district have started crushing. The farmers are planning to launch an agitation for a higher price after their produce is supplied to the factories and crushed. Initially, they will accept Rs 2,000 per tonne offered by the factories and keep their agitation on for the remaining amount,” said Muttappa Komar, farmers’ leader from Bagalkot.
Sameerwadi Sugar Factory has already started issuing cheques to the farmers at the rate of Rs 2,000 per tonne. Similarly, the factories in Belgaum district have also commenced crushing operations and the farmers are supplying their cane to factories.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha has launched a protest outside Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belgaum where the winter session of the state legislature is on. They have demanded higher price for sugarcane and adequate compensation for loss suffered in Bt Cotton cultivation.
In Karnataka, there are 65 sugar factories of which 58 are functioning. The cooperative sector has 22 factories, the government runs two and 34 are privately-owned. Of the private factories, 33 are owned/managed by politicians.
Belgaum district stands first in sugarcane production in Karnataka, accounting for 35 per cent of the state’s total production. With 21 sugar factories, the district produces 13 million tonnes of sugarcane every year, while the total production in the state stands at 35 million tonnes. Bagalkot has nine factories while Bidar has four. Bijapur, Gulbarga and Davanagere have three each.
Last year, farmers in Bagalkot district had produced 13 million tonnes of sugarcane in 400,000 acres of land. But this year, production has come down to 11 million tonnes. The nine factories in the district together have the capacity of crushing 70,000 tonnes per day.
Last year, 33 million tonnes of sugarcane yield was recorded in the state. However, this year, it has been reduced to 28.8 million tonnes. There has been a decline in the yield of sugarcane not only in Karnataka but also in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The area under sugarcane cultivation in the state is 350,000 hectares and the requirement by all the factories put together is 30 million tonnes.