Kolhapur Sugarcane Pricing Dispute Remains Unresolved as Talks Fail
A meeting between farmers and sugar millers in Kolhapur ended without agreement, prolonging the ongoing sugarcane pricing conflict.
Negotiations between farmers and millers in Kolhapur concluded without a resolution.
Farmers demand a cane price above the Centre's Fair and Remunerative Price due to high sugar market rates.
A central committee is set to report on sugar pricing before Diwali, with a government decision expected by November 20.
In Kolhapur, efforts to settle the sugarcane pricing dispute reached another impasse on Friday, following a meeting that failed to yield an agreement between farmer organizations and sugar mill representatives. The meeting, facilitated by guardian minister Prakash Abitkar, featured former MP Raju Shetti advocating for a cane price that exceeds the Centre’s Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), citing the current high market prices for sugar.
During the discussions, mill representatives urged the farmer groups to permit the commencement of crushing operations, emphasizing the financial strain on migrant cane cutters who have traveled considerable distances and are currently without work. Abitkar stated that he would request financial proposals from the sugar mills regarding their suggested cane prices before scheduling further discussions aimed at reaching a consensus.
Currently, many sugar mills in the Kolhapur district remain closed due to ongoing farmer protests. Shetti expressed that farmers are hopeful for a resolution from the guardian minister within the next few days, but he reiterated that cane harvesting and transportation would continue to be halted until an agreement is finalized. He also mentioned that a central committee of experts, formed in response to the protests, is evaluating demands to raise the minimum selling price (MSP) of sugar to Rs 50 per kg and the ethanol procurement price to Rs 70 per litre.
The committee is expected to visit Maharashtra on November 4, following its current tour in Karnataka. Shetti indicated that the committee's report is anticipated before Diwali, with the Centre likely to make a decision by November 20. He criticized the sugar millers for not proactively raising these demands themselves, suggesting that the farmers' protests were the catalyst for government intervention.
Furthermore, Shetti urged Maharashtra's sugar mills to maintain their operational suspension until the Centre reaches a final decision, drawing parallels with the situation in Karnataka. He condemned the mill owners for their apparent disregard for farmers' interests, noting their absence from the crucial meeting on Friday.
