‘I dare Government to cultivate sugarcane at the prices they propose’: Raju Shetti seeks Rs 385 fair price, cites fertiliser cost

Questioning the Centre’s claim that the cost of sugarcane production for 2026-27 is Rs 182 per quintal, Shetti said, “Actual production expenditure incurred by farmers in sugarcane cultivation is higher amid the uncertainty over higher fertiliser costs, coupled with the vagaries of climatic challenges. Also, the diesel price is expected to rise, compounding the crisis with overall cost escalation.”

“When fuel prices rise, it badly impacts farmers. As they use tractors for preparing their fields before khariff sowing,” he added.

The transport expenditure of post-harvest sugarcane will also increase, Shetti said.

“I challenge the Government to cultivate sugarcane on agriculture university plots at the prices they proposed for farmers. When you work out calculations on paper, it looks good. But in reality, the expenditure is higher,” he said.

Shetti also dismissed the Centre’s claims that the FRP of Rs 365 per quintal at a recovery rate of 10.25 per cent was higher by 100.5 per cent over production cost. While this may sound good on paper, farmers have to deal with multiple challenges that are not accounted for, he said.

Shetti said, “Since the FRP will be implemented in 2026-27, the Government has enough time to reconsider and rework its FRP. It should consider increasing it to Rs 385 per quintal (Rs 3,850 per tonne).

Fertiliser prices have gone up by 40-50 per cent owing to the West Asia conflict, Shetti said, adding that fuel prices were rising. Whenever fertiliser and fuel prices rise, farmers are the worst hit, he said.