Dharwad: Sugarcane farmers in north Karnataka on Monday suspended their week-long ‘Hubballi Chalo’ agitation after discussions with officials and farmers’ representatives at Yarikoppa near here, giving the Central and the state governments time until November 26 to address their demands.
The farmers warned that they will resume their agitation on November 27 and will lay siege to Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi’s residence if their demands remain unfulfilled.
Sugarcane growers from north Karnataka were on a foot march towards Joshi’s residence in Hubballi, after initially blocking the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway near Belagavi.
The protesters had decided to take their agitation to Joshi’s doorstep after the Centre failed to give a clear assurance on their demands, despite constituting a committee to examine the issues raised by sugarcane growers.
The farmers 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, among others.
The decision to suspend the protest followed discussions between farmer leaders and Joshi, former CM and Belagavi MP Jagadish Shettar, legislators and officials in Hubballi late on Sunday night.
Farmer leaders also held consultations with representatives from various districts on Monday to decide whether to continue the padayatra or temporarily suspend the agitation.
Farmers marching from Haveri reached Yarikoppa on the outskirts of Hubballi around 2 pm, while another group from Belagavi arrived via Tegur. Following discussions with the district administrations and police officials, the leaders announced the suspension of the protest.
Speaking at Yarikoppa Cross, farmer leader Chunappa Pujari said Joshi had sought time to consider their demand.
He urged the state government to convene a meeting of sugar factory owners and farmers’ representatives in Belagavi within four to five days to resolve the issue.
Pujari also called for restrictions on the transportation of sugar from factories until the farmers’ demands were addressed, arguing that the movement of sugar without resolving their concerns will adversely affect farmers and the public.
He said the farmers had agreed to give the governments time until November 26 in view of assurances from Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Joshi.
However, he warned that the agitation will resume on November 27 if the assurances are not honoured.
Farmer leader Shasikanth Guruji said Shivakumar had assured them that a meeting with sugar factory owners will be convened at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.
He insisted that farmers’ representatives be allowed to participate in the meeting and called for their inclusion in the committee constituted by the Union government to examine the issue.
Referring to Shivakumar’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the Centre’s intervention in the sugarcane farmers’ issue, Guruji said it was the state government’s responsibility to take up the matter with the Centre. He urged the authorities to act on their assurances within the stipulated timeframe.
Following the announcement, farmers who participated in the week-long padayatra and highway blockade began returning to their respective villages on Monday evening.