Bengaluru: Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers Association state president Kurubur Shanthakumar has alleged that sugar factories are benefiting from ethanol production amid rising sugar prices, while sugarcane growers are not receiving a fair share.
In a statement, he said drought and inadequate rainfall have reduced sugarcane production in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, while cultivation costs have increased. He urged the government to take immediate measures to protect farmers.
‘Frame scientific sugarcane policy on Brazil model’
Shanthakumar demanded that the benefits of ethanol production should not remain limited to large sugar factories. Farmers should be given simple legal provisions to produce ethanol locally for cooking fuel and agricultural vehicles, he said.
He also urged the government to establish a system to purchase surplus ethanol from farmers at a fixed price.
According to him, surplus sugarcane should be diverted towards ethanol production during years of high production, while sugar production should be prioritised during drought years to meet domestic demand.
He called for a scientific increase in the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for drought-affected farmers and a fair share of profits from sugarcane by-products.
Shanthakumar said giving farmers the right to produce ethanol at the local level should be made an immediate government priority.