New Delhi, 5 Dec

Karnataka BJP leader Iranna B Kadadi urged the Centre to reduce the recovery rate of sugar from 10.25 per cent to 9.5 per cent and raise its minimum selling price to help cane growers and millers.

The sugar recovery rate is the percentage of sugar extracted from sugarcane.

Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, Kadadi said the recovery rate in Karnataka has been 9.5 per cent, and it is necessary to maintain it, even though the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane is fixed at a higher recovery rate of 10.25 per cent.

He also demanded that the FRP be fixed without considering harvesting and transportation costs.

"Since 2019, the minimum sale price of sugar has been kept at only Rs 31 per kg. Due to this, mills are hesitant to pay more to farmers. Since sugar is selling at Rs 40 per kg in retail markets, it is necessary to increase the MSP," he said.

He said 81 sugar factories are operating in Karnataka, and the State ranks third in sugar production