Kolhapur: Former MP and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti’s meeting with sugar mill representatives on Thursday failed to reach a consensus, reported The Times of India.
Shetti had demanded Rs 400 per tonne for the sugar cane crushed in the previous year, a demand met with resistance from many mill officials.
The meeting, convened by Kolhapur district collector Rahul Rekhawar, was prompted by reports of Shetti’s supporters obstructing sugar transport in Kolhapur and Sangli districts. Incidents included deflating truck tyres and attacking drivers in various locations.
During the meeting, Shetti asserted that farmers should receive a share of the profits accrued by the mills in the previous year. He pointed out, “Mills have made a huge sum of money from sugar and ethanol. As per the cooperative principles, the sugar mills must pay the profit share towards the shareholders, who are the farmers.”
As per news report in ToI, however, a mill representative countered Shetti’s claims, stating, “We conveyed to the collector that mills did not significantly benefit from the previous year’s operations. Furthermore, if mills were to disburse the additional sum of money alongside the already cleared Fair and Remunerative Price, the government may impose additional taxes on this amount, categorizing it as profit.” In light of these differences, Collector Rekhawar urged both parties to resolve promptly.
