Union Minister for Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi announced on Friday that a meeting with sugarcane farmers will be held in New Delhi on 12 October to discuss their demands, including a higher minimum support price (MSP) for sugar.
At a press conference in Hubballi, Mr. Joshi said the central government had called the meeting in response to farmers’ protests and their call for better prices. He explained that the MSP for sugar is a floor price that prevents the commodity from being sold below a prescribed level, but a rise in that price does not automatically translate into higher payments to sugarcane growers, as the two prices are not directly linked. He added that the government is implementing recommendations from the M.S. Swaminathan Commission.
Mr. Joshi criticised state governments for failing to address farmers’ concerns, noting that Karnataka had not fixed a State‑Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane and would need to provide funds to meet payment obligations. He also criticised the Congress‑led state government for its handling of drought relief, power shortages and the discontinuation of financial assistance under the Kisan Samman scheme.
The minister further criticised the state government’s approval of distillery permits as contrary to farmers’ interests, called for a case against the chief minister for protesting before the State Election Commission, and said he has no plans to return to state politics. A video clip from Shashikanth Guru of Inchageri Mutt, who had made derogatory remarks about Mr. Joshi during a protest, shows his subsequent apology and withdrawal of the comments.
