Mysore/Mysuru: Urging for State Advisory Price (SAP) for sugarcane, farmers will be staging a protest in front of the Office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) here at 11 am tomorrow. Similar protests will be held across the State on Tuesday (July 5).

Disclosing this at a press meet in Jaladarshini Guest House on Hunsur Road here yesterday, Sugarcane Growers’ Association State President Kurubur Shanthakumar said that the cost of manures, fertilisers, pesticides and labour charges have increased. “In addition to this, farmers have to bear the cost of transportation of sugarcane to factories which in turn has increased the cost of the cultivation of sugarcane.”

“In this regard, farmers have urged the Government to announce the procurement rate for sugarcane for the year 2022-23 similar to the Uttar Pradesh Government which has fixed the SAP of Rs. 3,500 per tonnes,” he said.

He said that 70 sugar factories crushed 6.5 crore tonnes of sugarcane and the farmers are yet to be paid of Rs. 300 crore in arrears which to be  repaid with 15 percent interest according to law.

Stating that the Government is yet to announce the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) and announce the SAP for sugarcane at the earliest.

Cancel GST

The Central Government has not imposed GST on horse betting and casinos, but has imposed GST on equipment like borewells and automatic milking machine which the farmers use. The GST imposed on the farming machines must be cancelled, Shanthakumar urged.

Association leaders Attalli Devaraj, Kiragasur Shankar, Baradanapura Nagaraj, Kendagannaswamy, Venkatesh, Devamani and others were present at the press meet.