On Tuesday, September 29 farmers in Karnataka staged a protest in Hubballi demanding an increase in the price paid for sugarcane. In this regard, they are waiting to march towards Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s residence in Hubballi.
The demonstration is also coming just ahead of the sugarcane crushing season in 2026-27, when farmer organisations are calling for better returns for growers.
They have been calling for government intervention on sugarcane pricing and for growers’ prices to come down in response to the increasing cultivation fees and financial strain on farmers.
The farmer groups like Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and Hasiru Sene are raising questions about the price of sugarcane and other issues of the farming community. They have proposed Rs 5,500 per tonne price of sugarcane for the next season.
The farmers have also raised concerns for sugar prices and the financial condition of sugarcane growers. They insist on an increase in the minimum selling price of sugar and changes in the sale of ethanol by sugar factories and sugar sales. Some sugar mills have also been delayed in payments to farmers.
The agitation comes as the economics of sugarcane cultivation in Karnataka are being discussed. Farmers have said that labour, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs are getting more expensive and sugarcane returns should reflect them.
#WATCH | Karnataka | Farmers are staging a protest in Hubballi, demanding an increase in the MSP for sugarcane.
— ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2026
They will march towards Union Minister Pralhad Joshi's residence. pic.twitter.com/PjOkgwPM8t
Drought factors and lower yields for farmers have also been cited by farmers in addition to better prices for their produce. The Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane has been a concern for growers and state-level pricing arrangements.
The farmers’ planned march towards Pralhad Joshi’s residence is aimed at drawing attention to their demands and seeking intervention from the Union government. Growers and farmers representatives from other parts of Karnataka are also expected to be part of the protest.
Sugarcane pricing remains a major issue in the state, with farmers, sugar factories and governments talking about procurement prices, waiting payments and the sugar sector’s financial health.
The Hubballi protest has again brought sugarcane growers’ concerns back to the fore with the onset of the new crushing season. Farmers are pressing for a higher price for their crop and measures that they say would provide greater financial support to growers.
