Bengaluru, Oct 25 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said he would meet sugarcane farmers on Monday before holding talks with sugar factory owners, amid protests demanding an incentive of Rs 1,000 per tonne.
He also expressed interest in meeting Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi to resolve the issue.
“I had initially said that we would discuss the sugar issue first, but later decided that we should speak to the farmers first and discuss the sugar issue thereafter,” Shivakumar told reporters here on Sunday.
The CM said Joshi, who had agreed to attend the meeting, appeared to have other commitments.
He said ministers, MPs, MLAs and other representatives from the region had been invited.
“This is a major issue being discussed across all states. Some farmers are under considerable pressure as their sugarcane needs to be harvested and crushed quickly, and they are facing difficulties. I will discuss all these issues with the farmers,” he said.
Shivakumar said he had written to ministers and MPs and invited representatives from the region to attend the meeting, expressing confidence that they would participate in the discussions.
Sugarcane growers staged a protest at Gurlapur in Mudalagi taluk of Belagavi district this morning, blocking a state highway to press the government to meet their demand, sources said. PTI GMS SSK
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