Rs 790 cost-price gap fuels Karnataka sugarcane stir; farmers demand Rs 4,500 per tonne

Bengaluru, Nov 2 (UNI) A widening gap between sugarcane cultivation costs and the Centre-fixed procurement price has triggered fresh discontent among Karnataka's sugarcane growers, with farmers demanding Rs 4,500 per tonne against the existing Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of Rs 3,650, as their agitation spreads across 18 districts. The farmers are citing a production cost estimate of Rs 4,440 per tonne, putting the difference between cultivation expenses and the central procurement price at Rs 790 per tonne. They argue that the existing pricing mechanism fails to adequately compensate growers and are demanding an additional price from the Karnataka government.…