Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sought an urgent appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the serious problems faced by sugarcane farmers in North Karnataka. The CM has taken this step with the aim of quickly resolving the sugarcane farmers' crisis.

Key Demands of the Farmers

Sugarcane farmers have currently put forth the following key demands before the government:

* Net Price: A minimum ₹3,500 net price must be provided per tonne of sugarcane.

* Time-bound Payments: Payments for sugarcane from mill owners must be made within a stipulated time limit.

CM Urges Policy Changes

In order to find a permanent solution to this sugarcane crisis, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has urged the Prime Minister to introduce some important changes at the policy level.

The major policy changes he has urged are:

1. FRP and MSP: Suitable changes must be brought to the policies concerning Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) and Minimum Support Price (MSP).

2. Exports Policy: Sugarcane and sugar product export policies should be reformed to benefit the farmers.

3. Ethanol Policy: Policies related to ethanol production and price fixation should be revised keeping in mind the interests of sugarcane farmers.

4. Payment Enforcement: Laws related to payment of money from mill owners to farmers must be made more stringent, and their enforcement must be ensured.

Central Cooperation is Essential

Since most of the sugarcane farmers' issues are related to policy decisions that fall under the purview of the Central Government, CM Siddaramaiah has asserted that the cooperation and intervention of PM Modi are essential to comprehensively resolve this crisis.