Farmers’ stir: Rate fixed by Centre, will seek to meet PM, says Siddaramaiah

As the farmers' agitation intensified in north Karnataka demanding Rs 3,500 per tonne for sugarcane, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on November 6 that the Union government decides the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) and not the state.

He added that he has convened a meeting with farmer leaders on November 7 and would also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss issues faced by the farmers.

Union government decides FRP

Addressing the press, Siddaramaiah said that Union government is responsible for regulating the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on sugar, which is Rs 31 per kg.

"Every year, it is done by the Union government. This year too, they did it on May 6," he said, adding, "The farmers are being misled. Despite the Union government having a greater role in the FRP fixation, the Opposition [in the state] is playing politics. I appeal to farmers not to succumb to the Opposition’s statements."

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The CM said he has convened a meeting on November 7, from 11 am to 1 pm, with all the sugar factory owners in Bengaluru, where he would discuss farmers' agitation and their demand for more FRP. His next meeting from 1 pm will be with the farmer leaders from Haveri, Belagavi, Bagalkote and Vijayapura.

CM to seek appointment with Modi

Siddaramaiah said he would also seek an appointment with Modi in this regard. "I will write to PM Modi to request a meeting. If he grants an appointment tomorrow, then I will meet him in Delhi and explain to him about the farmers’ problems and demands," he said.

Stating that he has sympathised with the farmers, he urged them not to block highways, as this would cause inconvenience to the public.

Siddaramaiah said the rate fixed this year is Rs 3,550 per tonne, including harvesting and transportation, if the recovery is 10.25 per cent. A 10.25 per cent recovery means 10.25 kg of sugar is produced from 100 kg of sugarcane. If the recovery is more than 10.25 per cent, such as 0.1 per cent more recovery per quintal, then Rs 3.46 additional should be paid. The recovery goes on further, he explained.

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In the event of recovery less than 10.25 per cent, then Rs 3.46 can be reduced for every one per cent reduction up to a recovery rate of 9.5 per cent, he said, adding, if the recovery is 9.5 per cent or less, then the farmers are paid Rs 3,290.50 per tonne.

Blame game

"The Union government has decided it and not the state government. The state government can only implement it and ensure that the farmers get their price," Siddaramaiah said, adding that Union government also decides on ethanol production.

For the entire nation, only 10 lakh metric tonnes export is permitted whereas Karnataka alone produces 41 lakh tonnes sugar, he said and detailed that in the state 270 crore litres of ethanol is produced but the allotment for Karnataka was 47 crore litres. "This is a clear example of the game the Union government is playing with the farmers of Karnataka," he alleged.

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He said the state government has decided to set up physical weighing machines at 11 places and called for tenders for eight of them. Further, a committee has been formed for measurement, harvest and billing examination, he said. According to him, in 2024-25, 522 lakh metric tonne of sugar were crushed, whereas this year’s figures are yet to be released.