Farmers in Mundaragi staged a massive protest demanding compensation for crop losses and fair prices.
Gadag
Farmers of the taluk staged a massive protest in Mundaragi town, demanding fulfillment of their long-pending demands, including adequate compensation for crops damaged due to overwatering.The protest began with a march from the Kote Anjaneya Temple, which passed through the main streets of the town with cakkadis, and concluded at the Tahsildar’s office, where farmers blocked the state highway for nearly an hour.
The agitators alleged that companies were compelling farmers to sign 30-year contracts for the installation of wind and solar power plants on their land. They complained that the contracts were written in foreign languages that they could not understand and urged the government to take immediate action.
The protesters also highlighted that although the Union Government has declared a support price of ₹7,721 per quintal for sunflower and ₹2,400 per quintal for maize, the actual market prices are much lower—sunflower is being sold for ₹5,000 per quintal and maize for ₹2,000 per quintal. This disparity, they said, is causing significant financial losses, and they demanded the immediate establishment of a crop procurement centre in the town.
District Agriculture Deputy Director G.S. Spurthi and other senior officials engaged in discussions with the protesting farmers, following which the agitation was withdrawn.
Farmers also alleged irregularities in crop insurance distribution, claiming that officials were involved in malpractices, which has resulted in many eligible farmers being denied timely benefits. Sharanappa, President of the Kambali Taluk Farmers’ Association, expressed concern that corruption was preventing rightful compensation.
Heavy rains during the monsoon have worsened the situation, with 30,000 hectares of maize and 8,000 hectares of paddy destroyed. As of now, 11,973 farmers have already registered claims seeking compensation. Farmers were informed by Spurthi that they could also report crop damage through the dedicated helpline number provided by the Agriculture Department.
