Maharashtra protests on cane pricing may spread to UP, Karnataka too

PUNE/LUCKNOW/BANGALORE: Protests over sugarcane prices by a political outfit representing farmers have brought crushing operations in Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts of Maharashtra to a standstill.

The situation in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka is equally tense and awaiting a trigger.

Activists of the Kolhapur-based Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathana led by Raju Shetty, a parliament member, have intensified violent protests in the past week, bursting tyres of trucks carrying sugarcane and stopping trains.

Mr Shetty said, “We have demanded that farmers be paid `2,200/tonne of cane excluding harvesting and transport charges of Rs 300/tonne. Till we don’t get a reasonable rate, we won’t let the crushing begin.”

In UP, cane growers and millers are set for a faceoff with both sides sticking to their demands regarding cane price. The situation thus seems headed for an agitation which may delay crushing.

“Last season’s cane prices were driven by market forces as sugar prices had gone through the roof and mills found it possible to pay prices much higher than the rate fixed by the government. But this time around we are in no position to pay such high prices,” said a miller.

In northern Karnataka, cane crushing is yet to begin. This region accounts for close to 65% of the state’s sugar production. While mills begin crushing around early November, the ongoing festivity coupled with a dithering by mill owners is expected to delay crushing.

Sources in the Karnataka chapter of the South India Sugar Mills Association (SISMA) did admit to ET that some sugar mills are reluctant to pay high prices for cane in the ongoing sugar year. Northern Karnataka mills pay higher prices than their counterparts in the southern parts of the state on account of the higher recovery rate.

(By Jayashree Bhosale, Man Mohan Rai & Arun Iyer)