North Karnataka sugarcane farmers demand buying price ₹5,500 per ton
India
Sugarcane farmers across North Karnataka are making some noise, demanding the government raise the buying price to ₹5,500 per ton.
Protests broke out in places like Belagavi and Dharwad this week, with farmers blocking highways and staging sit-ins.
Things got tense enough that local authorities put restrictions in place to keep order.
Karnataka farmers call voluntary statewide bandh
Led by groups like Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, farmers say they won't back down until their demands are heard.
They're pushing not just for better sugarcane prices but also changes in ethanol policy and a revision of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sugar.
Even after talks with state officials, the protesters are standing firm, and a voluntary statewide bandh has been called for Saturday.