Karnataka sugarcane farmers have warned that they will resume protests from November 27 if their demands on cane pricing, sugar’s minimum selling price and ethanol procurement are not addressed by November 26. The warning follows demonstrations across several parts of the state, including road blockades, a 200-kilometre march and the ‘Hubballi Chalo’ campaign.
The farmers are demanding that the price of sugarcane be fixed at ₹5,500 per tonne. They are also seeking an increase in the minimum selling price of sugar from ₹31 to ₹60 and want all ethanol produced in Karnataka to be purchased. These demands come as the sugarcane crushing season begins in the state and tensions between growers, sugar mills and governments intensify.
According to Prajavani’s report, farmers in Belagavi, Kittur, Haveri and Kalaburagi are among those who have participated in the agitation. National highway blockades and the long-distance march have brought the dispute beyond individual farming communities, affecting road movement and drawing attention to the wider economic role of the sugar industry in Karnataka.
The farmers continued their agitation despite an appeal from Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, the report said. They temporarily paused the protest after receiving an assurance from Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and gave the government time until November 26 to respond to their demands.
The dispute involves more than the price paid to growers for cane. Sugarcane pricing is connected to the financial position of mills, the price at which sugar can be sold, and the ability of factories to generate additional revenue from products such as ethanol. Farmers’ demand for a higher sugar minimum selling price and complete procurement of locally produced ethanol reflects their argument that the current industry structure does not adequately support the price they seek for cane.
The protest also places pressure on both the state and central governments because responsibilities in the sugar and ethanol sectors are spread across different levels of administration. While farmers are seeking action in Karnataka, sugar pricing, ethanol procurement and related industrial decisions involve a broader policy and market framework. The assurance attributed to Pralhad Joshi and the appeal from the chief minister indicate that the issue has already reached both state and Union-level political channels.
If the demands remain unresolved by the stated deadline, farmers have warned that demonstrations will restart across the affected regions from November 27. The next step in the dispute will therefore depend on whether the governments respond before November 26 to the requested cane price, sugar selling price and ethanol procurement measures.
