India’s Karnataka sugarcane growers demand US$46.9 sugarcane FRP
Growers are seeking higher cane prices, ethanol production opportunities, loan waivers and reliable power as drought and rising costs put pressure on Karnataka’s sugar sector.
INDIA – The Karnataka Sugarcane Growers’ Association has urged Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi to raise the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane to at least Rs 4,500 (US$46.9) per tonne, citing drought, rising cultivation and labour costs, and declining cane yields.
Association president Kurubur Shanthakumar said growers were under financial pressure as deficient rainfall reduced production as fertilizer, labour and cultivation costs had increased.
He questioned the mechanism for determining FRP payments based on sugar recovery recorded from cane supplied by farmers in the previous year. He described the system as unscientific and unfair to growers and called for its immediate revision.
The association also sought relaxation of restrictions on producing ethanol directly from sugarcane juice and syrup. Shanthakumar said farmers should be permitted to produce ethanol through small-scale units.
The association said greater ethanol production could provide farmers with an additional income stream while supporting alternative fuels.
The group said drought and inadequate rainfall had reduced sugarcane production and yields in several parts of Karnataka, while sugar prices had increased amid higher demand. Shanthakumar said growers’ problems remained unresolved despite government directions for sugar mills to begin crushing operations early.
The association urged the Karnataka government to introduce stringent legal provisions against sugar mills that allegedly violate government orders and repeatedly approach courts to obtain stays.
It called for immediate implementation of the Kali river linking project to benefit farmers in Dharwad and Haliyal regions.
Seeking relief for drought-affected growers, Shanthakumar demanded a waiver of crop loans in Karnataka. He also called for uninterrupted electricity for agricultural pumpsets, alleging insufficient power supply was causing crops to dry up.
Commenting on Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s visit to an APMC yard, Shanthakumar said the government should instead address the alleged practice of charging farmers a 10% commission in APMCs across Karnataka.
Sugar mills sales data deadline
Meanwhile, the Department of Food and Public Distribution has set September 18, 2026, as the deadline for sugar mills to submit first-fortnight sales data.
Mills across India have been instructed to submit sale details for the period through September 15, 2026, in the prescribed format using their registered email addresses and a designated Google form.
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