Karnataka Sugarcane Farmers Continue Padayatra to Hubballi, Demand Fair Prices

Hubballi, Oct 15 : Defying government assurances, sugarcane farmers from north Karnataka continued their padayatra towards Hubballi on Thursday, pressing the Centre and the state government to address their long-pending demands for remunerative cane prices, fair sugar pricing and action against alleged irregularities in sugar mills.

The farmers, who had earlier staged highway blockades in Belagavi district, have shifted their agitation to a march towards the residence of Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi. They have clarified that withdrawing the road blockade does not mean the protest has been called off.

The agitation, led by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene leaders, including state president Chunappa Pujeri and farmer leader Shashikant Padasalagi, highlights growers' concerns over inadequate returns from sugarcane cultivation amid rising input costs and alleged discrepancies in payments by sugar factories.

The protesters are demanding a price of Rs 5,500 per tonne for sugarcane and a minimum selling price of Rs 60 per kg for sugar. They have also called for a revision of the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), timely payment of farmers' dues and stricter monitoring of sugar mills.

The farmers have alleged that discrepancies in cane weighment, under-reporting of sugar recovery and deductions by factories are depriving growers of their legitimate earnings. They have demanded transparent weighing procedures and independent verification of sugar recovery to ensure that payments accurately reflect the quantity and quality of sugarcane supplied.

The protesters have also sought a fair share of the revenue generated from sugar mills' by-products, arguing that farmers should benefit from the additional value created during processing rather than bear the burden of rising cultivation costs alone.

The padayatra, covering around 125 km from the Hattargi toll plaza towards Hubballi, is passing through several locations in Belagavi and Dharwad districts. The farmers have vowed to continue the march until the authorities provide concrete commitments on their demands.

The agitation had disrupted traffic on key stretches of the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway, with protesters blocking roads at Hattargi and Hirebagewadi. The blockade at Hattargi was later withdrawn after farmer leaders cited inconvenience to the public as a reason for changing the mode of protest.

However, the withdrawal of the highway blockade has done little to ease the confrontation, as the farmers continue their march seeking a time-bound resolution.

Joshi has said the Centre is committed to addressing the concerns of sugarcane growers and proposed the formation of a joint committee comprising farmers, agricultural scientists and representatives of the Central and state governments. The committee is expected to examine issues relating to cane pricing, weighment practices, sugar recovery calculations and deductions by sugar factories, and recommend long-term solutions.

The farmers, however, have maintained that assurances and committee-level discussions must translate into tangible relief.

The protest comes amid continuing tensions over sugarcane prices for the 2026-27 crushing season. Growers argue that unless pricing mechanisms and practices adopted by sugar mills are reviewed, they will continue to face financial uncertainty despite supplying the principal raw material for the sugar industry.

With the padayatra continuing towards Hubballi, the authorities face the challenge of preventing further escalation while addressing the farmers' grievances. The protesters have warned of intensifying their agitation if their demands remain unresolved.

The outcome of the proposed discussions between farmer representatives and the government is likely to determine whether the march ends in a negotiated settlement or develops into a wider confrontation over sugarcane pricing in Karnataka.