Mudhol farmers demand ₹5,500 for a tonne of sugarcane

Belagavi The protest by sugarcane farmers in Mudhol in Bagalkot district demanding ₹5,500 per tonne, entered the sixth day on Wednesday. Activists took out a rally from Sangolli Rayanna Circle to the taluk office and submitted a memorandum to the State government. They vowed to continue their protest till the factories agree to pay higher prices.

They are demanding ₹4,250 a tonne from the sugar factories and ₹1,250 incentive from the State government as State Advised Price. They said that they will not accept the ₹3,600 per tonne and the profit-sharing formula agreed upon in Belagavi. They expressed anger against the Union government for failing to revise the Minimum Selling Price of sugar and against the State government for failing to announce SAP.

They insisted that sugar factories begin operations only after announcing a higher price. “Farmers are going around villages, making public announcements urging others not to harvest sugarcane and to join the protest.