Border Farmers Meet at Gurlapur Cross in Mudalgi, Resolve to Block Sugar Mills Until Fair Cane Price Fixed

Sugarcane growers and agricultural leaders from across the Karnataka and Maharashtra border region convened a major strategy meeting at Gurlapur Cross in Mudalgi taluk, Belagavi district. The joint committee of farmer unions unanimously declared that no sugar mill in either state will be permitted to start crushing operations for the 2026–27 season until both central and state governments establish a fair price based on comprehensive cultivation costs. During the meeting, farmer representatives emphasized that rising input costs, fertilizer prices, and labor expenses have severely squeezed agricultural incomes. They demanded that the authorities fix a minimum rate of ₹5,500 per tonne for sugarcane for the upcoming crushing season. The leaders warned that if the administration tries to disrupt or restrict their planned mega protest in Hubballi on September 29, farmers will stage an immediate and indefinite national highway blockade on the spot. For residents and rural households in Mudalgi taluk—a major sugarcane producing hub in northern Karnataka—this resolution signals an intense standoff between agrarian communities and mill operators. The decision directly impacts local sugar factories, harvesting laborers, transport contractors, and thousands of farming families across Belagavi district who rely on timely crushing and fair remuneration for their yield.