Maha: Sugarcane Farmers' First State Convention
Uday Narkar
THE AIKS Maharashtra state council organised its first Sugarcane Farmers' State Convention at Kolhapur in the midst of the sugar belt of the state on August 21, 2025. Despite torrential rains and floods, over 450 farmers from various districts attended the convention held at the renowned Chhatrapati Shahu Smarak Hall.
The convention was presided over by AIKS state president Umesh Deshmukh. Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) leader and Reception Committee chairperson Babasaheb Deokar welcomed the delegates. AIKS state vice president Uday Narkar in his introduction, explained the objective of the convention. It was inaugurated by AIKS national general secretary Vijoo Krishnan. AIKS state council member Amol Naik placed the main resolution, which was seconded by Deepak Lipne, Yuvraj Bhosale, Sampatrao Savant, A B Patil, Uddhav Poul, Bhagwan Bhojane and Sangram Savant.
The convention was addressed by AIKS national vice president and president of the All India Sugarcane Farmers Federation (AISFF) D Raveendran and by AIKS central kisan committee member Pushpendra Tyagi. CITU-affiliated Sugarcane Cutters Union general secretary Subhash Jadhav greeted the convention. A 15-member State Sugarcane Farmers Coordination Committee with Umesh Deshmukh as convenor was elected. AIKS national president Ashok Dhawale concluded the convention. AIKS Kolhapur district council member Chandrakant Kurane proposed the vote of thanks.
The main speakers placed valuable points exposing the exploitation of cane farmers through the neoliberal policies of the central and state governments and the rapacious sugar factories.
Many activists of the Mukti Sangharsh Samiti from four tehsils of Kolhapur district under the leadership of Sangram Savant joined the AIKS in this convention and they were warmly welcomed by the AIKS leadership by giving them the AIKS flag.
The convention decided to organise a statewide agitation of sugarcane farmers in October on the State Sugar Commissioner's office in Pune around the following demands: Give Rs 5,500 per tonne to cane farmers at 9.5 recovery base; start the system of a remunerative State Advisory Price (SAP) in the state; reduce the cost of inputs like fertilisers, pesticides, diesel, power etc; give a part of the profits from secondary by-products like ethanol etc to the cane farmers; increase the minimum sale price of sugar to Rs 45 per kg with a dual pricing system for domestic (subsidised price) and industrial (higher price) use; stop the manifold systemic loot of farmers, sugarcane cutters and sugar factory workers by the government and sugar factories; central government must follow a consistent policy regarding foreign trade in sugar in the best interests of cane farmers and the sugar industry; ensure transparency in sugar factory weighing scales; and strengthen the cooperative sugar sector manifold.
Two other important resolutions were also adopted: 1. stop the proposed but unnecessary Shaktipeeth Highway with the accompanying large land acquisition in several districts, 2. Vest all temple trust lands and inami lands in the names of the cultivating peasants.
On the next day, a meeting of the AISFF coordination committee was held at the salubrious hill station cum historical fort town of Panhala. Apart from decisions to step up the sugarcane farmers’ movement throughout the country from the beginning of the crushing season, it elected Pushpendra Tyagi as the AISFF general secretary in place of N K Shukla, who stepped down due to reasons of age and health. It also elected Prabhuraj Narayan Rao as AISFF treasurer in place of Vijoo Krishnan who stepped down due to his other responsibilities. The earlier day, the committee had also visited a sugar factory in Kolhapur.
The AIKS Kolhapur district committee made excellent arrangements for these programmes.
In the last eight months, the AIKS in Maharashtra has held two other successful state conventions – one of peasant women at Nashik, and the other on land issues at Aurangabad.
