D K Shivakumar with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File photo.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking urgent action on five sugarcane-sector demands, saying protests have delayed the start of crushing in North Karnataka and left mature cane standing in fields.
In his October 19 letter, Shivakumar sought revisions to sugar and cane-based ethanol prices, separate sugar minimum selling prices for household and commercial buyers, a review of ethanol procurement exclusions, and restoration of the FRP base recovery rate to 9.50%.
Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri @DKShivakumar has written to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, urging the Union Government to urgently address the demands of Karnataka’s sugarcane farmers and facilitate the commencement of the crushing season in North Karnataka.
The Chief… pic.twitter.com/2ewEMIpHGT
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) October 19, 2026
Crushing delay and farmers’ protest
Shivakumar said farmers were undertaking marches towards Hubballi and that road blockades were causing hardship to the public. He said he met protesting farmers in Kittur, Belagavi district, on October 17 and appealed to them to call off their march, but they sought an assurance from the Union government on demands within its jurisdiction.
With crushing yet to begin in North Karnataka, each day of delay was reducing cane weight and sugar content, he said. A clear and timely Union government announcement could help persuade farmers to end the agitation and allow crushing to begin, the letter said.
Sugar price and ethanol procurement
The Chief Minister said sugar’s minimum selling price had remained at ₹31 per kg since February 14, 2019, while the fair and remunerative price of cane had risen from ₹2,750 to ₹3,650 per tonne. He sought a revision and separate prices for domestic and commercial sugar to protect household consumers while ensuring fair prices from bulk buyers.
He also sought a review of the October 16 tender for the 2026–27 ethanol supply year, which, the letter said, excluded ethanol from cane juice, sugar syrup and B-heavy molasses while retaining C-heavy molasses. Karnataka has annual cane-based ethanol capacity of 225 crore litres, he said, warning that exclusions could affect mill revenue and timely payments to farmers.
Prices of ethanol from cane juice and B-heavy molasses had remained unchanged since 2022–23 despite rising cane costs, he said, seeking an increase.
Restore 9.50% FRP base recovery
Shivakumar requested that the FRP base recovery rate be restored from 10.25% to 9.50%. He said sugar recovery depends on soil, climate and crushing time, factors outside farmers’ control, and lower-recovery areas were losing out.
The letter cited state measures including digital load cells at 81 operational mills, inspections of cane weight and recovery, directions for NABL accreditation of testing laboratories, and additional support in 2025–26. It said about ₹290 crore had been paid directly to farmers.
Karnataka welcomed the Union government’s October 14 committee chaired by former NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand and would share its data, Shivakumar said, while urging some immediate decisions as the committee continued its work.
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