The Centre has decided to constitute a high-level joint committee within a week to address the long-standing grievances of sugarcane farmers in Karnataka, following a meeting between Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan and farmer leaders in New Delhi on Monday, 12 October 2026. The move signals a formal federal intervention in a dispute that has simmered for years over alleged malpractices by sugar mills.

What the Meeting Covered

The meeting, chaired by Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, took up a range of farmer grievances — including alleged discrepancies in sugar recovery figures reported by mills, irregular deductions in cane weight, and payment-related disputes. Discussions also extended to waste management, crop insurance, and broader concerns affecting Karnataka's sugarcane growers.

Chouhan said the Centre was committed to resolving disputes concerning sugar recovery, weighing, and payments through a joint mechanism involving farmers and agricultural scientists. He directed officials to take necessary action on the concerns raised.

Who Will Sit on the Committee

The proposed committee will include representatives from the Centre, the Karnataka and Maharashtra state governments, farmer organisations, sugar mills, and scientific experts. It will examine technical aspects of sugarcane harvesting, scientific standards for measuring sugar recovery, laboratory testing systems, and the accuracy of weighing mechanisms. The panel will also probe allegations that some mills systematically underreport actual sugar recovery, potentially shortchanging growers on payments.

FRP, MSP and Ethanol: Key Policy Points

Joshi explained the Centre's approach to determining the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane, outlining the scientific processes and cost-assessment methods involved. He also clarified the distinction between the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and FRP, and discussed the State Advised Price (SAP) alongside ethanol production policy with the farmer representatives.

The ministers emphasised that the government's objective was to establish a transparent and scientific system to prevent exploitation, rather than offer temporary fixes to recurring disputes — a pointed acknowledgement that earlier interventions have not resolved the underlying structural problems.

State Ministers and Farmer Leaders Present

Karnataka Cooperation Minister Lakshman Savadi, Agriculture Minister Narendra Swamy, and Sugar and Textiles Minister Rudrappa Manappa Lamani attended the meeting, along with officials from the Union Agriculture Ministry and the Department of Food. Farmer leaders, including former MP Raju Shetti, were also present. The ministers said cooperation from the respective state governments would be essential to ensure timely implementation of any corrective measures.

What Comes Next

The committee is expected to be constituted within a week and will submit recommendations for long-term solutions — including improved technical procedures, stronger administrative safeguards, and more transparent policy implementation in the sugar sector. The outcome will be closely watched by sugarcane growers across Karnataka and Maharashtra, two of India's largest cane-producing states.