Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday, 13 October announced that the Centre would soon constitute a joint committee to address the long-standing grievances of sugarcane growers, describing a high-level meeting held in New Delhi with farmer representatives from Karnataka and Maharashtra as constructive and productive. Joshi asserted there was no justification for farmers to resort to road blockades, urging them to allow the institutional process to deliver results.

What the Joint Committee Will Do

The proposed committee will comprise sugarcane growers, agricultural scientists, and representatives from both the Central and state governments. According to Joshi, the body will conduct a detailed study of the problems confronting farmers and recommend measures for their long-term resolution. He stressed that resolving sugarcane-related issues required coordinated efforts across several ministries and active participation from state governments — making a multi-stakeholder panel the only viable path forward.

'The issues of sugarcane growers cannot be resolved in a day or two or by one or two ministries alone. The government will soon have good news for sugarcane growers. Therefore, there is no need for anyone to resort to road blockades,' Joshi said, speaking to the media in Delhi.

Key Issues Raised by Farmers

The meeting, which lasted three to four hours, saw detailed deliberations on a range of concerns. These included the allegedly inadequate Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), demands for a Minimum Support Price (MSP), discrepancies in the weighing of sugarcane at mills, a nine per cent wastage deduction imposed by sugar mills after harvesting, and separate pricing for commercial purposes. Representatives and office-bearers of three to four farmer organisations attended and submitted suggestions, which were formally taken into consideration.

Notably, farmer leader Raju Shetti reportedly agreed to the Centre's decision to form the joint committee and work towards permanent solutions — a significant signal given his stature among sugarcane farming communities in western India.

Who Attended and What Was Discussed

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Joshi, departmental secretaries, three ministers from the respective state governments, and farmer representatives all participated in the discussions. The Centre, for the first time according to Joshi, had proactively invited sugarcane growers to New Delhi to hear their grievances directly — a departure from the usual pattern of reactive engagement.

This comes amid growing farmer unrest in the sugarcane belt spanning Karnataka and Maharashtra, regions that together account for a significant share of India's sugar output and where disputes over mill pricing have historically triggered protests and supply disruptions.

Demand for State Advised Price in Karnataka

A key outcome of the meeting was the Centre's call for the Karnataka government to introduce a State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane — a mechanism already in place in Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. Joshi said Karnataka should consider a similar safeguard to ensure better returns for its farmers. The Centre also urged the state government to take strict action against sugar mills over recovery-rate anomalies, the nine per cent wastage deduction, and weighing discrepancies.

Joshi was emphatic that the Centre's commitment to resolving sugarcane farmers' problems extends beyond political lines, stating the government would work in consultation with all state governments regardless of their political affiliations. With the joint committee's constitution expected shortly, the next phase will test whether these assurances translate into concrete policy action.