Sugarcane farmers end rasta roko, launch march to Hubballi seeking justice

The two-day rasta roko by sugarcane farmers for higher prices for sugarcane and sugar ended on Wednesday night.

As the second day of their protest for fair prices ended, sugarcane farmers began a Hubballi Chalo padayatra to the hometown of Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi seeking justice from him in his hometown.

They announced that they will stop the road blockade in public interest and, instead, launch a protest in front of the Central Minister’s house.

The police have begun opening one side of the National Highway. They are allowing vehicles one by one on one side of the six-lane highway. There are indications that the National Highway will be completely free for traffic by midnight.

Leaders Chunappa Pujeri and Shashikant Padasalagi Guruji and others began the 125-km walk from Hattargi Toll Plaza to Hubballi by foot.

They are walking on one side of the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway. They raised slogans against the Minister and demanded a fair price for sugarcane.

The breakthrough came after Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan spoke to farmers and assured them that the state government will not only carry their concerns to the Union government but also take all measures to address their issues.

The Deputy Commissioner also connected the farmers with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on phone. The Chief Minister told them that the State government is with farmers and that it will protect their interests, official sources said.

Farmers have been demanding revision of Minimum Selling Price for sugar and Fair and Remunerative Price for sugarcane. Among other things, they are demanding ₹5,500 per tonne for sugarcane and a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹60 per kg for sugar.

Their other demands are differential pricing for sugar for domestic consumption and for industries, strict enforcement of the Sugar Control Order, timely payment to farmers, State-monitored harvesting, weighing and recovery assessment in factories and a share in profits from the sale of byproducts by sugar mills.

Mr. Pujeri told reporters that they will stay in a few places along the way and address local farmers. They plan to stay in Kakati, Bagewadi, Kittur and Dharwad, on the way to Hubballi. “We may take three-four days to reach Hubballi. The Union government should respond to our demands by then,” they said.