Sugarcane farmers stage protest against government in Shivamogga

On Tuesday, sugarcane farmers in Shivamogga, Karnataka, staged a protest against the state government. Gathered under the banner of the State Sugarcane Growers Coordination Committee, the farmers held the protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister. The farmers requested the government to fix profitable prices for sugarcane.

According to a report by The Hindu, sugarcane farmers of North Karnataka have been protesting for more than a month. The farmers stated that discussions regarding prices between the government, factory owners, and the Coordination Committee have failed. Meanwhile, crops are drying up in the fields due to the previous unprecedented drought. Farmers urged the Centre and State governments to stop blaming each other and immediately fix the price at ₹5,500 per tonne.

The protesters requested the factories to immediately commence the process of crushing sugarcane. Additionally, the farmers also appealed to the government to provide aid to drought-affected farmers on a war footing. The protest was led by Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha leaders Raghavendra, Jagadish, T.M. Chandrappa, and others. The farmers also raised slogans demanding that the government fulfill their demands at the earliest.

Meanwhile, organic farmers in Rajkot are also facing difficulties. According to a report by The Times of India, organic production has decreased in Rajkot due to the drought. In this situation, 'Family Farmers' have been forced to reduce production and refuse customers due to crop failure.