Kolhapur cane farmers await first sugar mill payment as groups demand Rs 5,000 a tonne

Gargoti: The crushing season is approaching and sugar mills have begun preparations to start their chimneys. But the most important question for cane growers, how much money will actually reach their hands, remains unanswered.

Rising fertiliser prices, costly ploughing, labour, harvesting and transport are weighing on farmers. They also face loan instalments, household expenses and the challenge of arranging money for the next season. Cane growers across Kolhapur district are watching which sugar mill will break the deadlock on the cane price and how much it will announce as the first instalment. Farmers' restlessness has peaked. Farmers' organisations have meanwhile taken to agitation, demanding a price of Rs 5,000 per tonne.

The sugar industry is not only the business of mill owners. It is linked to the livelihood of thousands of farming families. While mills look at their own finances, they must also keep in mind the growers' rising costs. A fair price for the farmers' labour and a guarantee of timely payment of cane bills will be the two most important matters. Farmers are now waiting for a firm decision.

The sugar industry is the backbone of the rural economy of Kolhapur district. The crushing season is an important time that drives the farmers' economic cycle. Farmers want no big gap between the season's preparations and the actual price. Mills are planning crushing, readying machinery and arranging cane harvesting, but the question of their stand on the first instalment is a heated one. Every year, discussion on the cane price gains momentum before the season. Everyone watches what farmers' organisations, mill owners and cooperative sector leaders say. Until the price is announced, farmers remain in confusion. This year is no different, and there is growing curiosity over who will take the lead in announcing the price.

From planting cane to the crop reaching the mill, the farmer bears heavy costs. Money is needed at every stage: ploughing the land, cane cuttings for seed, fertiliser, pesticides, arranging water, labour, harvesting and transport. On top of this are changes in weather, disease and uncertain yields. After toiling in the field all year, there is no firm guarantee that the full amount will be left in hand, so farmers are in financial distress. Many farmers pay off loans from their cane bills and meet their children's education, household expenses and the next crop's costs. So if the price falls short, the effect lasts beyond one season and hits the whole year's financial planning. Cane growers are asking how long farmers must bear the cost of growing cane and keep waiting for a price.

A race among the district's sugar mills to announce the first instalment is likely. If one mill announces a satisfactory price, pressure on the other mills to clarify their stand may grow. Farmers, cane harvesting workers, transporters and cooperative sector experts are therefore discussing which mill will announce the first instalment this time and what price it will give.