Farmers’ groups on Sunday (October 25, 2026) attempted to reach a consensus on the list of demands to be presented ahead of a meeting with Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar in Belagavi on Monday (October 26, 2026).
Farmer leaders held a few meetings to prepare for the CM’s session. Some were skeptical about the outcome, and Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi said he couldn’t attend, since the key demands involve the Central Government.
In Gurlapur, near the Belagavi–Bagalkot border, leaders Chunappa Pujeri and Shashikant Padasalagi spoke and then said they would call a Karnataka Bundh on Tuesday if the government doesn’t meet their demands.
“The CM told reporters in Bengaluru recently that he had extended an invitation to Mr. Joshi, but Joshi said he could not attend due to unavoidable circumstances, such as a pre-scheduled meeting in New Delhi. We are disappointed with Mr. Joshi. He should have cancelled all of his appointments and attended the Belagavi meeting,” said Chunappa Pujeri, a farmers’ leader.
Shashikant Padasalagi told reporters in Gurlapur on Sunday (October 25, 2026) that he would request the Chief Minister to switch the timing of his meetings. “Mr. Shivakumar has scheduled a meeting with factory owners in the morning and our meeting in the evening. He should ideally listen to us first and then direct the factories to fulfil our demands. He cannot first listen to the factories and then meet us,” he said.
Nearly 30 leaders of various organisations participated in an online meeting where the demands were discussed.
They listed several demands after the meeting, including Chukki Nanjundaswami, MLA Darshan Puttannaiah, Kuruburu Shantkumar, Badagalapura Nagendra, M. R. Veerappa, Siddarth Navi, and others. They discussed revising the minimum selling price for sugar and a higher Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane. The consensus was to urge the government to fix prices transparently, not rely on a “magic number.”
Most leaders argued that differential pricing for sugar—between domestic use and industry—should be their top priority. They claimed no legal changes were needed since the Union Government already provides LPC cylinders for different prices. Several also urged that all prices be treated as ex-field, with sugar mills bearing harvesting and transport costs.
Some leaders urged the Union Government to withdraw its decision not to procure sugarcane-based ethanol. Others urged implementing the C. Rangarajan committee’s recommendation to treat farmers as shareholders, not just suppliers. They pressed for a policy requiring factories to pay FRP for sugarcane and share profits from ethanol, co-generated power, molasses, and other byproducts.
Prof. Kammaradi asked the State Government to set up an open portal to document and monitor the activities of factories, including harvest, transport, payments to farmers, and recovery declarations. He said the State Government should take the lead in implementing the Rangarajan Committee report, as the UPA government at the Centre had appointed it.
Mr. Shantkumar said he would seek a State Advised Price, in addition to FRP, on the lines of Tamil Nadu. He said the government should act tough against factories that do not follow its pro-farmers decisions.
However, there were some differences. Some young farmers complained that there was a lack of unity among groups, especially among those from north and south Karnataka. Others did not agree with the demand that the State Government could act unilaterally to fix a SAP that would be remunerative, irrespective of the centrally fixed FRP.
Published – October 25, 2026 03:17 pm IST
