Sugarcane growers continue to protest, mills may start crushing tomorrow

Sugarcane growers on Wednesday take part in a padayatra to Belagavi from Badakundri as part of Jail Bharo’s agitation for higher sugarcane prices. | Photo credit: PK BADIGER

Sugarcane growers on Wednesday continued their protests in Belagavi against sugar mills and the state and central governments for not announcing higher sugarcane prices.

A team of angry farmers tried to storm the deputy commissioner’s office, saying the officers were delaying a coordination meeting of farmers and factory owners scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

A team led by Ganesh Iliger gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office and demanded immediate negotiations on sugarcane price.

The team complained that officials delayed the meeting due to pressure from sugar mills. Pushing the onlookers aside, they tried to force their way into the gate. But the police stopped them. After that, the team members got into an argument with the police and the staff of the deputy commissioner’s office.

The protesters warned that if the authorities continued to neglect their demands, they would lay siege to the sugar mills and intensify the struggle.

Meanwhile, a group of farmers continued their padayatra from Badakundri village to Belagavi, as part of their Jail Bharo agitation.

Farmers are expected to halt at Mukti Math on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway. Senior leader Chukki Nanjundaswami joined them in a protest rally near Hattargi village.

Farmer leader Chunappa Pujeri has announced that he will suspend the winter session of the legislature if their demands are not met. The winter session is scheduled to begin on November 30. He said a protest rally would be held at CP.Ed Grounds in Belagavi on Thursday.

However, he expressed hope that the problem would be resolved and the factories would start crushing by Friday.

“We have held meetings with the factory owners. We have been almost 90% successful in our negotiations. However, some issues need to be resolved. We are confident that the factories will start crushing on Friday,” he said.

He expressed confidence that Chief Minister DK Shivakumar would give way to their demand for an incentive of ₹1,000 per tonne of sugar as the state-notified price.

Meanwhile, officials said the impasse over prices has narrowed to ₹400 per tonne. While factories are reluctant to pay more than ₹3,550 per tonne, farmers are not ready to accept anything below ₹4,000.

Minister Satish Jarkiholi is trying to convince both sides for a median price of ₹3,800 per tonne. This may be announced by Friday, a senior officer said.

And it seems that some cracks have appeared in the farmers’ movement. A group of farmers led by Praveen Babu Sardar in Kittur announced that they would no longer support the agitation against the factories and would prefer a harmonious solution.

He claimed to have approached the officers at Laila Sugars in Khanapur taluk to start sugarcane harvesting and transportation.

Another team led by Rayanna Nayak in Gokaku reported that any delay in the start of the crushing season will mean heavy losses to the farmers and not the factories.

He urged sugar mills to start crushing by agreeing to pay a fair and remunerative price and then ensure an increased payment if the minimum selling price of sugar is revised.

Meanwhile, members of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatan continued to block the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway near Kini Toll Naka in Kolhapur district.

Police diverted vehicles off the road on alternate routes.

Published – 04 Nov 2026 20:20 IST