Raju Shetti to hold 22-day padyatra from Oct 17 for sugarcane farmers

The fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugar was Rs 3,050 per tonne in 2022-’23. Most of them paid the FRP, however, the mills skipped the additional Rs 400 per tonne payment to farmers in the second instalment.

Adding that sugar mills in Pune were prompt in making the additional payment, he said the mills in Sangli and Kolhapur did not make payment above FRP.

Shetti said, “All the sugar mills who failed to give Rs 400 per tonne additional amount above FRP to cane cultivators will be our target. The mills make huge profits. Why are they not willing to share a small part of the profit with sugarcane farmers who are always subjected to exploitation.”

The sugarcane crushing for the 2023-24 season will begin on November 1. However, some sugar mills are mounting pressure on the government to allow early crushing from October 15. The Centre has fixed FRP for 2023-24 at Rs 3,150 per tonne on sugar cane for a recovery of 10.25 per cent.

The yatra is also seen as an effort to revive the fortunes of his Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) after several leaders deserted the party.

The latest to leave was Pooja More from Beed who has joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP with rumours being rife that she would be fielded as MLA candidate by the party. The leaders to leave earlier were Sadabhau Khot, the founder of Rayat Kranti Sanghatana and Warud Morshi MLA Devendra Bhoyar.

However, Shetti said, “We are a farmers’ organisation; a people’s organisation… so we are not bothered much.”

For Shetti, who has decided to stir clear of both the BJP, as well as the Opposition INDIA bloc, his padyatra would take him across the cane belt, which once was his turf. Shetti had twice won the Hatkanagale constituency in Kolhapur district before being defeated by Dhairyasheel Mane of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Shetti has also declared that his party would fight six Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming general elections.