Mysore/Mysuru: Criticising the delaying tactics being adopted by the State Government in fixing the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane, cane growers across the State will stage a protest against the Government by blocking roads on Oct. 27 and if the Government doesn’t respond positively even then, sugarcane growers will gherao all Deputy Commissioners’ (DCs’)  Offices in the State on Oct. 31, announced State Sugarcane Growers Association President Kurubur Shantakumar.

He was addressing a press meet at Jaladarshini Guest House in city on Sunday.

“The Ministers despite having conducted four meetings to fix additional FRP for sugarcane has let down cane growers of the State by not taking any decision in this connection. The callousness of the MLAs and MPs of the State towards the sugarcane growers’ fight for getting additional FRP for sugarcane leads to suspicions about their intentions,” said Shantakumar.

Criticising the State Government  for ignoring the sufferings of cane growers, Shantakumar wondered why the Government is not showing any concern for 30 lakh cane growers who contribute to the huge turnover of about Rs. 40,000 crore of the sugar industry. The Home Minister and MPs take a delegation of areca growers, which records a turnover of Rs. 5,000 crore, to the Centre. Why are they blind to the sufferings of sugarcane growers?” Kurubur Shantakumar wondered.

Stating that the State Government has the information about the FRPs fixed by other State Governments, he pointed out that Punjab has fixed sugarcane FRP at Rs. 3,800, Uttar Pradesh at Rs. 3,500 and Gujarat at Rs. 4,400 and demanded that the Karnataka Government should fix at least Rs. 3,500 per ton of sugarcane.

“The State Sugarcane Growers Association has urged the State Government on Apr. 26 to computerise the entire sugar industry. We demanded the entire process of planting of sugarcane agreement, permission of harvesting sugarcane on the basis of seniority, weight of sugarcane, payment of sugarcane, yield of sugar be computerised and facilitate the registration of farmers though a Mobile App. The Government’s proposed initiative in this direction will solve many problems that are being faced by the farmers,” concluded Shantakumar.

Association office-bearers Attahalli Devaraj, P. Somashekar, Baradanapura Nagaraju and others were present at the press meet.