Belagavi (Karnataka), Oct 27 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said sugarcane farmers and factory owners have come close to an agreement, with both sides agreeing to decide the price payable to farmers after the Centre fixes the minimum selling price of sugar.
The farmers have been demanding an incentive of Rs 6,000 per tonne for sugarcane.
The farmers and factory owners are expected to announce their final decision within two days after discussing the proposal among themselves, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
“Farmers as well as the factories must survive. The livelihood of farmers is important to the government,” Shivakumar said.
The breakthrough followed nearly 10 hours of discussions in five rounds at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha and the Circuit House in Belagavi, beginning around 11 am on Monday and continuing until midnight.
Shivakumar said farmers had discussions with the union minister (Pralhad Joshi), who assured them, and that factory owners had agreed to decide the price payable to farmers after the Centre fixed sugar’s MSP.
“Farmers and factory owners have come close to an agreement. We will stand by them in support. They will also speak to the Central government, and we will also speak to them,” he said.
The chief minister said the farmers had sought two days to discuss the proposal among themselves before arriving at a final decision.
“The agitation has reached an amicable conclusion. We have come forward to encourage the farmers, and I am ready to hold discussions with the Central government at any time,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the union ministers would honour their assurances to the farmers and reiterated the state government’s support for them.
Nine ministers and around 70 legislators participated in the deliberations held on Monday.
Representatives of 79 of the 80 sugar factories attended the meetings, along with farmer leaders.
After the initial discussions at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar held two more rounds of talks at the Circuit House to work out a formula to resolve the impasse.
Ministers Satish Jarkiholi, Laxman Savadi and Santosh Lad, legislators Yashavantharaya Gowda Patil and N H Konareddy, farmer leaders and sugar factory owners were among those present. PTI GMS KH
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