Hubballi Chalo padayatra by sugarcane farmers likely to temporarily halt today

Sugarcane farmers are likely to temporarily withdraw their Hubballi Chalo padayatra on Monday, the sixth day of the agitation seeking better prices for sugarcane. The agitation is likely to resume after a farmers’ rally in New Delhi on October 23, called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha.

“Senior leaders will take a decision about a pan-India protest for better sugarcane prices at the Delhi rally. Once a signal is received from there, we will resume the agitation,” one of the farmers’ leaders said.

Some of the leaders who are participating in the rally held a meeting near Tegur village on the border of the Belagavi and Dharwad districts and discussed this issue.

Some of them said that the farmers have been away from their fields since October 13, and the sugarcane crop is drying due to lack of rainfall and lack of proper irrigation.

Others said that the messages sent by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar have to be taken to the villages, and feedback is yet to be obtained from more farmers.

Mr. Shivakumar assured farmers in Kittur on Saturday that he would convene a meeting of farmers, factory owners and officers next week. He agreed to consider the demand for a State Advised Price of ₹1,000 per tonne of sugarcane supplied.

Some farmers’ leaders said that the Central panel set up to look into the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) for sugar and a Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane has to be given some time.

The leaders decided to announce a temporary halt to the padayatra on Monday, only to resume it next week. The announcement is likely to be made on Monday afternoon.

Earlier, the farmers gave a deadline to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi till Sunday evening to announce a decision on revising MSP and FRP.

“We had decided to withdraw the agitation if the Union government sent a message, but we have not got any message,” farmers’ leader Chunappa Pujeri told reporters.