Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], November 8 (ANI): Farmers in Karnataka on Friday called off their protest after the State government announced a Rs 100 per-tonne increase in the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane.

The new procurement price was fixed after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had a discussion with the representatives of sugar factory owners and the farmers.

Addressing a press conference, CM Siddaramaiah said, 'I have been holding meetings with the ministers since morning. I had also called a meeting of all the sugar factory owners. Almost everyone participated. There are 81 sugar factories in the state. Out of these, 11 factories are under government control, and one is a government-owned sugar factory. The rest are privately owned factories.'

'The Belagavi Deputy Commissioner and SP had held talks with the farmers, but those talks failed. After that, I sent H. K. Patil and Shivanand Patil. They held discussions with the farmers at the protest site. An agreement was reached to pay Rs 3,000 per tonne for cane with 10.25% recovery. The sugar factory owners agreed to this. For cane with 11.25% recovery, Rs 3,200 was fixed. The decision was taken after discussions with sugar factory owners in Belagavi,' Siddaramaiah said.

The Karnataka CM informed that the government and factory owners will contribute Rs 50 each to provide Rs 3,300 per tonne to the farmers.

'We have arrived at a firm decision by prioritising the welfare of the state's farmers. It has been decided to provide 3,300 per ton of sugarcane. The government and factory owners will contribute 50 each to provide 3,300 per ton to the farmers,' he said.

Protesting farmers were seen celebrating after the Karnataka government's announcement.

Later, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the State government and factory owners have decided to provide 3,300 per ton to the farmers by adding an additional 50 each.

'Now, the government and factory owners have decided to provide 3,300 per ton to the farmers by adding an additional 50 each. The recovery rate of sugarcane varies from district to district. However, as per the decision of today's meeting, there will be an increase of 100 for all recovery rates. Ours is a pro-farmer government, and we will never allow any injustice to be done to the food providers,' Shivakumar said in a post on X.

The Karnataka CM has already written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention in the issue. (ANI)