Minister Shivanand Patil confident of ending sugarcane price deadlock in Karnataka

Karnataka’s Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil promised to end the deadlock between sugarcane farmers and factories, and resolve the issue of pricing in favour of farmers.

He refused to respond to allegations by some farmers’ leaders that he is on the side of factory owners, and not the farmers. “I am not here to respond to allegations, but to resolve the issue. I will discuss various aspects of the issue with the farmers and then try to find solution. We are confident of ending the deadlock soon. I assure you that we will we will settle it in favour of farmers,” the Minister said in Belagavi on November 6.

He reiterated that the power to fix fair and remunerative price for sugarcane lies with the Union Government, and that the State Government could do little about it.

“However, people do not know about the issue in detail. I am the Sugar Minister for Karnataka. The Union Sugar Minister is Pralhad Joshi, who is also from Karnataka. But no one — neither the agitating farmers, nor the media — has mentioned his name in relation to this issue as yet,” Mr. Patil said.

He left for Gurlapur, the site of the protest, along with Ashok Dalwai, advisor to the CM on farm pricing, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan and Superintendent of Police Bheemashankar S. Guled.