Mysore/Mysuru: Urging the Government for revision of FRP (Fair and Remunerative Price) for sugarcane, farmers will lay siege to Vidhana Soudha at Bengaluru on Oct.5.

Announcing this at a press meet here yesterday, Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers Association President Kurubur Shanthakumar demanded stipulation of  sugarcane FRP at a minimum of Rs.3,500 per tonne. 

Maintaining that the Centre has not revised sugarcane FRP for the past two years, he said that the Rs.5 increase announced by the Centre a few days ago was nothing but ridiculous. 

Accusing the Government of bowing to the pressure of sugar lobby, he alleged that the Centre was fooling farmers in the name of doubling farmers income. Contending that the current FRP is far below actual costs of sugarcane production, he wanted the Government to fix a scientific FRP. 

Noting that standing sugarcane crops grown in about two-and-a-half lakh acres in Northern Karnataka districts of Bagalkot, Vijayapura and Belagavi  are getting destroyed every year due to floods, he demanded the Government to cover the crop under the Centre’s Fasal Bima Yojana. 

Asserting that some sugar factories were cheating farmers on sugar yield determination and sugarcane weighment, he urged the factories to clear all dues to cane suppliers, which was mounting after every crushing season. 

Reiterating that the Government must hike sugarcane FRP with immediate effect, he said that thousands of farmers from across the State will take part in the Vidhana Soudha siege on Oct.5.

Referring to Energy Minister Sunil Kumar’s statement that meters will not be installed for irrigation pumpsets, he wanted the State Government to make it clear to the Centre that it (State) was opposed to the Centre’s power sector privatisation Bill, which he said was detrimental to the interests of farmers.