Sugarcane farmers continue protest in Bagalkot

If the sugar factory owners are making profits, so should the farmers, says a farmers leader. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO While most of the sugar factories in Belagavi district have begun crushing operations, some sugarcane farmers in Bagalkot district are continuing their protest for higher prices.Farmers in Mudhol, Bagalkot and Jamkhandi are demanding the price based on Maharashtra package for their produce. The package includes ₹3,900 per tonne in the first phase, ₹100 in the second for sugarcane and ₹200 if the wholesale sugar prices cross ₹45 per kg.Activists gathered at the Sangolli Rayanna Circle in Mudhol and raised slogans against factories and the State government.“We are not making unreasonable demands. Our demands are based on proper calculations. If the factory owners are making profits, so should the farmers,” farmers leader Eerappa Hanchinal said.He said that the farmers will not budge till they are assured prices of ₹4,200 to ₹4,250 per tonne of sugarcane.Meanwhile, farmers in Vijayapura are demanding that the price of ₹3,600 per tonne and the profit-sharing formula agreed upon in Belagavi be extended to the whole State.In Belagavi, Ganesh Iliger and other leaders submitted a memorandum at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Tuesday demanding action against factories that have not settled long-standing arrears.As many as 12 of the 29 factories in Belagavi district have issued circulars saying that they will abide by the profit-sharing formula.Meanwhile, some sugar factories in Belagavi have offered prices higher than the agreed sum.The Venkateshwara Sugar Factory in Bedakihal has promised to offer up to ₹4,200, with a base price of ₹3,900 in the first phase and ₹4,200 per tonne, if the sugar price crosses ₹45 per kg.The Shiraguppi Sugars in Kagwad has promised ₹3,700 in the first phase, ₹100 later for sugarcane and ₹200 per tonne, contingent on sugar crossing ₹45 per kg.Such factories include Satish Sugars and Belagavi Sugars, owned by Minister Satish Jarkiholi, Inamdar Sugars owned by the family members of the former Minister D.B. Inamdar, Harsha Sugars owned by the Hebbalkar family and others like Gudagunti Sugars, Gokak Sugars, Shree Renuka Sugars, Chidanand Kore Cooperative Factory and the EID Parrys unit.The others are yet to announce their rate list.“However, factories are likely to pay higher than ₹3,600, as they are worried that farmers in border taluks like Chikkodi, Nippani, Raibag, Kagwad, Athani and Hukkeri can divert their crops to factories in Maharashtra.There is a possibility of farmers in the border taluks diverting their produce to factories in Maharashtra, due to the price difference of ₹300 to ₹600 per tonne offered by factories in the two States.“They may hold on to their captive stock, rather than losing it to Maharashtra,” farmers leader Chunappa Pujeri told The Hindu on Tuesday. Published - November 11, 2026 07:07 pm IST