Siddaramaiah writes to PM Modi seeking urgent relief for sugarcane farmers as protest enters day 9
Bengaluru: The ongoing protest by sugarcane farmers demanding a fair support price has entered its ninth day, with demonstrators across Belagavi and other northern Karnataka districts intensifying their agitation against the Congress government. Farmers are firm on their demand for a Rs 3,500 per tonne support price, accusing the state of neglecting their plight despite repeated assurances.
Even as protests spread to several taluks, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking an urgent meeting to discuss what he called a “serious agrarian crisis” in north Karnataka. The Chief Minister said that despite continuous discussions with sugar mill owners and farmer leaders, the issue remains unresolved and the agitation is growing stronger by the day.
In his letter, Siddaramaiah cited the severe financial distress faced by farmers due to high harvesting and transport costs. “After deducting around Rs 800–900 per tonne towards cutting and transportation, farmers barely receive Rs 2,600 to Rs 3,000 per tonne. This is far below the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) fixed by the Centre for 2025–26,” he wrote.
For the 2025–26 crushing season, the Central government has fixed the FRP at Rs 355 per quintal (Rs 23,550 per tonne) for a recovery rate of 10.25%. Siddaramaiah, however, argued that rising costs of fertilizers, labour, irrigation, and transportation have rendered this rate unviable. He urged the Centre to revise the FRP and ensure that farmers receive a net price of Rs 3,500 per tonne after deductions.
The Chief Minister’s letter also highlighted measures taken by the state, including the formation of committees to oversee weighing, yield assessments, harvesting, and payment disputes. He noted that free weighing facilities have been set up at APMCs to ensure transparency. Yet, despite these steps, farmers remain dissatisfied and have warned of an intensified statewide agitation if their demands are not met.
Siddaramaiah further appealed to the Union government to intervene by revising the FRP, reducing the sugar recovery percentage, ensuring prompt payment of dues, facilitating sugar exports, and increasing ethanol procurement quotas. “These steps are essential to protect the livelihoods of thousands of sugarcane growers who are suffering severe losses,” the letter stated.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have accused the Chief Minister of trying to “wash his hands off” the crisis by shifting blame to the Centre. BJP leaders in Karnataka have criticized the Congress government for failing to deliver on its pre-election promises to farmers and for mishandling the sugar sector.
As the stalemate continues, farmer unions have vowed to continue their protests until the government announces a concrete decision on the Rs 3,500 per tonne support price, calling it a test of the Congress government’s commitment to agrarian welfare.
