Bengaluru, Oct 13 (PTI) Karnataka will study ways to ensure fair returns for sugarcane farmers by improving transparency in cane weighing, sugar recovery, harvesting practices and payments, Minister Rudrappa Lamani said on Tuesday.
As a follow-up to a high-level meeting held in New Delhi, the state will conduct a scientific study on optimal harvesting periods and sugar recovery levels across Karnataka’s sugarcane-growing regions and present its findings to the joint committee proposed by the Centre, a statement from the Sugar and Textiles Minister’s office said.
The meeting, chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi, discussed issues raised by sugarcane farmers from Karnataka and Maharashtra, including cane pricing, the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), sugar prices, recovery rates, discrepancies in weighing, harvesting periods, wastage and payments to farmers, the statement said.
“We need a scientific assessment of the stage at which sugarcane should be harvested so that farmers get the best possible weight and recovery. Harvesting practices should not reduce farmers’ income. Karnataka will study regional conditions and present a comprehensive position to the joint committee,” Lamani said.
The minister said the government had taken seriously farmers’ complaints about discrepancies in cane weighing at sugar factories.
To build confidence in the weighing process, the state would examine the feasibility of introducing independent weighbridges under government supervision in areas where they were required, he said.
“Not even a kilogram of cane should be unfairly accounted for. Farmers must have complete confidence in the weighing system. We will discuss the matter with the CM and work towards a transparent mechanism,” he said.
The state would seek greater transparency in the calculation of sugar recovery rates, deductions for post-harvest wastage and other related adjustments, and present these issues to the proposed joint committee, the statement said.
Karnataka already has a legal provision for determining an Additional Sugarcane Price over and above the Fair and Remunerative Price fixed by the Centre, it said.
“The government will also examine the State Advised Price (SAP) and other pricing models followed in different states to assess whether they can provide farmers with better and more predictable returns,” the statement added.
The proposed joint high-level committee is expected to include representatives of Karnataka, Maharashtra, the Union government, farmers’ organisations, sugar mills and agricultural scientists, officials said.
Karnataka will place before the committee issues concerning optimal harvesting periods, district-wise sugar recovery rates, weighing accuracy, scientific laboratory testing, wastage deductions, payments to farmers, pricing and revenue-sharing mechanisms, they said.
“Both farmers and the sugar industry must remain viable, but the system cannot allow injustice to farmers. Our objective is not a temporary solution, but a permanent, scientific and transparent framework,” Lamani added. PTI AMP SSK
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