Mandya DC: Farmers Shouldn’t Bear Sugarcane Transport Costs

Rapid Summary:

• Deputy Commissioner of Mandya Kumar emphasized that farmers should not bear the cost of transporting sugarcane from fields after harvest.
• At a meeting to address disputes between farmers adn lorry owners,Mr. Kumar directed sugar factories to absorb transportation costs through discussions with lorry owners.
• lorry owners were cautioned against collecting transport fees fixed by the Directorate of Sugarcane progress from farmers,as this violates their interests.
• Melukote MLA Darshan Puttannaiah highlighted labor shortages in Mandya for harvesting sugarcane; laborers from across Karnataka and india are carrying out both harvesting and transportation tasks.
• Officials such as Mysugar Chairman C.D. Gandhadhar, Karnataka State Lorry Owners’ Association President Shanmugam, Regional Transport Officer Hemavathi, and Mandya District Lorry Owners’ Association President Venugopal also participated in the discussions.

Indian Opinion Analysis:
The directive by deputy Commissioner Kumar reiterates government commitment to protect farmers’ economic interests amid disputes over sugarcane transportation costs-an expense that could erode hard-earned agricultural incomes if imposed on them unjustly.By urging collaboration between sugar factories and lorry owners for bearing these costs, officials aim to establish equitable practices within local agriculture supply chains.

MLA Darshan Puttannaiah’s remarks on harvesting labor shortages point toward deeper systemic challenges in rural agrarian operations dependent on migrant workers-a situation that could grow more notable if unresolved in long-term contexts like climate unpredictability or migration shifts.

This debate underscores recurring issues around ensuring fairness for economically vulnerable groups like smallholder farmers while balancing operational demands of industries tied closely to agriculture production cycles.

Read more at: August 08, 2025 06:18 pm IST.