Sugarcane Farmers Block Roads in North Karnataka

Belagavi: Farmers in North Karnataka—a region renowned for sugarcane cultivation—blocked key points along the national highway in the Belagavi and Dharwad districts to pressure the government into accepting their demands. This 'rasta roko' (road blockade) protest severely disrupted road traffic.

A primary demand of the farmers is an increase in the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane. They argue that, given the sharp rise in production costs, the government should set the price for sugarcane between ₹4,500 and ₹5,500 per tonne.

During the protest, sugarcane farmers staged a sit-in in front of buses at the Belagavi bus stand, while in Dharwad district, they attempted to block various roads. The agitation also spread to the Vijayapura and Bagalkot districts. In response to the intensifying protests, the district administrations of Belagavi and Dharwad imposed prohibitory orders and banned the blocking of national highways.

The sugarcane farmers are demanding that the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for their produce be set at ₹5,500 per tonne. They also want the costs associated with harvesting and transporting the crop to be covered by the sugar millers, ensuring that farmers receive the full benefit of the FRP.

Furthermore, the farmers have demanded that the FRP be based on an average sugar recovery rate of 9.5 percent and that the central government review its ethanol-related policy. In Belagavi district, sugarcane growers have also called for a 'Karnataka Bandh' (state-wide strike) to garner support for their ongoing agitation.