Sugarcane growers to hold rally on Oct 29

Mysore, Oct 27 (UNI) Sugarcane growers in Karnataka have decided a to take out a 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' Rally on October 29 to exert pressure on the government to announce a scientific price for purchase of sugarcane by sugar mills for 2007-2008, Karnataka Sugarcane Growers Association President Kurubur Shanthakumar said.

Addressing newspersons here today, he said over 25,000 sugarcane farmers from all over the state would assemble at Bangalore City railway station on Monday for the march.

He urged the sugar mills in the state to clear the payment of Rs 193 crore to farmers.

Mr Shanthakumar said the state government should fix the price based on cost of cultivation and sugar mills should reimburse the farmers the benefit they gained from the government's waiver of Purchase Tax.

As a compensation, the government should pay Rs 25,000 per acre to sugarcane farmers whose produce was not purchased by the mills, he added.

He said the government should also provide farmers with a subsidy of Rs 300 per tonne towards transportation of sugarcane.

UNI