BELAGAVI: Amid the ongoing agitation by sugarcane farmers demanding a payment of Rs 5,500 per tonne for their produce, Dharwad Deputy Commissioner Snehal R, has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, on four National Highways in the district to prevent highway blockades and maintain law and order.
The restrictions cover the Pune–Bengaluru, Hubballi–Ankola, Navalgund–Solapur and Hubballi–Ballari National Highways, along with areas within a five-kilometre radius. The orders, issued following reports from the district Superintendent of Police and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chairman, have come into immediate effect and will remain in force until further orders.
The administration said the restrictions were necessary to maintain public peace, ensure smooth traffic movement, protect emergency services and preserve law and order in anticipation of highway blockade protests called by sugarcane farmers.
Meanwhile, protests have begun at the Belagavi Central Bus Station, where a farmer leader initiated the demonstration. Police personnel have been deployed around the bus station amid the ongoing agitation. The farmers’ organisations have been demanding Rs 5,500 per tonne of sugarcane, with the pricing dispute prompting a call for a Karnataka bandh.
Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri @DKShivakumar has written to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, seeking urgent intervention to address the key concerns of Karnataka’s sugarcane farmers and ensure fair remuneration for their produce.
Key demands:
1. Revise the Sugar MSP: Increase the Minimum Selling Price of sugar, unchanged at ₹31 per kg since February 2019, despite the FRP rising from ₹2,750 to ₹3,650 per tonne. With sugar selling at approximately ₹45 per kg, a revision can protect farmers’ payments without increasing consumer prices.
2. Review the Ethanol Directive: Reconsider the October 22, 2026 directive restricting ethanol production from sugarcane juice, syrup and B-heavy molasses for ESY 2026-27, after the February 2027 crop estimate, beginning with B-heavy molasses. Also revise cane-based ethanol prices, unchanged since 2022-23 for juice and B-heavy molasses. Karnataka’s cane-based distilleries earned ₹5,803.7 crore from ethanol in 2025-26, helping mills pay farmers within 14 days.
3. Restore the FRP Base Recovery: Bring the base recovery rate back to 9.5% to protect farmers in low-recovery regions from being disadvantaged due to soil and climatic conditions.
4. Separate Sugar MSPs: Introduce separate Minimum Selling Prices for domestic and commercial sugar to protect household consumers while ensuring fair prices for bulk buyers.
5. Revise the Revenue-Sharing Formula: Include ethanol and co-generation revenues in the revenue-sharing formula and establish a Price Stabilisation Fund, as recommended by the NITI Aayog Task Force and the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
The Chief Minister also highlighted the State Government’s efforts to safeguard farmers’ interests. All 81 operating sugar mills use digital weighbridges, mill laboratories are inspected twice a month, average sugar recovery reached 11.09% in 2025-26, and 99.85% of the cane dues for 2025-26 have been paid.
Our government remains committed to protecting sugarcane farmers’ interests. The Union Government has been urged to take immediate decisions on the sugar MSP and ethanol policy for the current season, alongside long-term structural reforms, to resolve farmers’ grievances and ensure crushing operations proceed without further delay.
@PMOIndia @narendramodi
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) October 30, 2026
Amid the continuing agitation, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday appealed to farmers and other stakeholders to cooperate in resolving the sugarcane pricing issue, assuring them that the state government stood with farmers. Addressing concerns over conditions imposed for providing compensation to farmers for crop losses, the Chief Minister said the government would examine the available options and extend assistance.
“We will examine the matter and see what can be done to provide crop-loss compensation. We will look at the available options and certainly extend assistance. Regarding the sugarcane issue, we had sat together and settled. They are now saying that the Centre has given some assurances. However, I have received reports that there is fresh dissatisfaction over the issue. I appeal to everyone to cooperate. Sugarcane is drying up, and farmers are facing difficulties. Let us abide by whatever decision the Central Government takes. We stand with farmers, and their welfare is our priority. I request everyone to remain patient and cooperate,” he said.
Questioning the ability of sugar factories to increase payments to farmers without a corresponding revision in sugar prices, DK Shivakumar said the government would examine the issue and make a request to the Centre. “If sugar prices have not increased for the last 10 years, how can sugar factories afford to pay more to farmers? The price of sugar needs to be fixed. We will examine the matter and make a request to the Centre,” he added. (ANI)
