Forests minister C.P. Yogeshwar succeeded in forcing Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar to announce a minimum support price of Rs 2,400 per ton of sugarcane here on Monday.
The support price, however, would be limited to sugarcane cultivated in areas under Pandavapura and Mandya sugar factories.
Earlier in the day, Mr Yogeshwar, who wears another hat as district in-charge minister of Mandya, set a deadline for Mr Shettar to announce a support price of Rs 2,500 for sugarcane or relieve him of the responsibility as in-charge minister of Mandya district.
“The sugarcane yield this year has reduced and the crop has failed in some places. The demand of farmers in Mandya is justified. It is embarrassing to face the people of my district without considering their demand.
So, I have asked the Chief Minister to either honour the demand or relieve me of the responsibility as Mandya in-charge minister,” said Mr Yogeshwar, who was recently mobbed by farmers during his visit to the district.
When the agitation against release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu was called off ahead of Dasara festivities, sugarcane growers threatened to intensify protests and stall the festivities in Mysore if the government failed to yield to their demand for minimum support price of Rs 2,500 per ton of sugarcane.
They were not happy with the government’s offer of Rs 2,200 per ton and demanded a higher support price.