Karnataka Sugarcane Farmers Suspend Hubballi Chalo March, Set November 26 Deadline
Farmers warn of renewed agitation on November 27 if the Centre and state government fail to address their demands, including Rs 5,500 per tonne for sugarcane.
Hubballi (Fikrokhabar News): Sugarcane farmers in north Karnataka have temporarily suspended their week long ‘Hubballi Chalo’ agitation after discussions with government representatives and officials near Yarikoppa in Dharwad district on Monday, October 19.
The farmers have given the Central and Karnataka governments until November 26 to address their demands. They warned that the agitation would resume on November 27, including a planned siege of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s residence in Hubballi, if their demands remain unfulfilled.
The protesters are demanding a price of Rs 5,500 per tonne of sugarcane, an increase in the minimum selling price of sugar to Rs 60 per kg, and a review of the ethanol procurement policy for sugarcane based ethanol.
The decision to suspend the march followed discussions between farmer leaders, Pralhad Joshi, former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, legislators and officials. Farmers had been marching towards Joshi’s residence after earlier blocking the Pune Bengaluru National Highway near Belagavi.
Farmer leader Chunappa Pujari urged the state government to convene a meeting between sugar factory owners and farmers’ representatives in Belagavi within four to five days. He also called for restrictions on sugar transportation until farmers’ concerns are addressed.
Another farmer leader, Shashikanth Guruji, said farmers’ representatives should be included in discussions at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi and in the committee formed by the Union government to examine their demands.
The farmers said they had agreed to suspend the agitation in view of assurances from Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. They warned that the movement would intensify if the promised steps were not taken by the deadline.
Following the announcement, farmers who had participated in the week long march and highway blockade began returning to their villages on Monday evening.