Mysuru: Former minister and JD(S) working president SR Mahesh on Friday raised alarm over the severe distress faced by Karnataka’s farmers due to unfair crop pricing.Highlighting paddy, ragi and tobacco as affected key crops, he alleged that govt procurement centres are exploiting farmers rather than supporting them.Mahesh pointed out that although the state govt fixed a support price for ragi and set up procurement centres at KR Nagar, Chunchanakatte and Saligrama, these centres are reportedly taking an additional 4 kg of ragi per farmer. “So far, about 60,000 quintals of ragi have been procured from these centres, causing losses of Rs 200 to Rs 250 per quintal to farmers,” he claimed. The former minister also questioned the logistics and transparency of the process. While Rs 32 per quintal is allocated for transportation and Rs 26 is paid to labourers for every 50 bags, Mahesh asked, “Where are these funds really going?”Launching a sharp critique of the administration, he asked how the CM remained oblivious to what he termed a “daylight robbery” of farmers. He accused the food department of negligence. Although the DC assured intervention, Mahesh demanded accountability for the losses already incurred by farmers. He warned that this exploitation is not confined to Mysuru but is widespread across the state, possibly run under “remote control.” Mahesh urged the govt to compensate affected farmers, dismantle the “transport lobby.” Failure to address these grievances will lead to protests during the chief minister’s next Mysuru visit.
