> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://newsanek.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Maharashtra sugarcane farmers block Pune-Bengaluru highway over mill payments - URL: https://newsanek.com/maharashtra-sugarcane-farmers-block-highway-mill-payments/ - Published: 2026-11-11T04:32:59.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-11T04:50:37.000Z - Description: Thousands of farmers in Kolhapur and Satara have blocked the highway for several days. They want mills to pay a first installment of Rs 4,500 per tonne, without deductions. The protest will continue until mills and the state government agree on a price. - Author: Kumar Ujjwal - Tags: India, Maharashtra, Explainer, #sub-business-stories, #state-maharashtra, #state-desk, #region-west, #sm-52, #smemo-outrage Thousands of sugarcane farmers in Maharashtra have blocked a major national highway for several days. They are protesting over payments from sugar mills. The farmers come from Kolhapur and Satara districts. They blocked the Pune-Bengaluru highway at the Kini toll plaza for a third straight day on November 5. The indefinite blockade is organized by the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS). Former Member of Parliament Raju Shetti leads the group. The farmers want mills to pay a first installment of Rs 4,500 per tonne for cane supplied this season. They say no deductions should be made. Cane farmers block Pune-Bengaluru highway **Rs 4,500 per tonne**First installment demanded **3 days**Straight days of blockade **2 districts**Districts involved Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report ### Key points - Farmers have blocked the Pune-Bengaluru highway since November 3. - They demand Rs 4,500 per tonne as the first installment, without deductions. - The protest continues until mills and the state government agree on the price. - The group warns of a bigger agitation if the protest runs through Diwali. ## So why does this matter for people across India? The highway is one of the busiest routes linking Maharashtra and Karnataka. Blocking it disrupts traffic every day. The dispute also affects sugar production. Maharashtra competes with Uttar Pradesh for the top spot as India's largest sugar producer. Disruption in Kolhapur and Satara, among the state's most productive cane belts, can slow the state's overall sugar output. ## What is the first installment, and what is the FRP? The first installment is the payment mills make to farmers at the start of the crushing season. It is usually settled before full crushing begins. The Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) is the minimum price the central government requires mills to pay for sugarcane. It is calculated using a formula linked to recovery rates. Farmers in Maharashtra's western districts often want a premium above the FRP. This extra amount is negotiated each season between growers, mills and the state government. ## What happens next, and what are the farmers saying? Shetti said the protest will continue until mills and the state government agree on the payment figure. He also said farmers will not let factories in the region run at full capacity until pricing is settled. Shetti warned that if farmers have to protest through Diwali, the SSS would escalate with a "Shimga" style agitation. The group has used such demonstrations outside the homes of sugar factory chairmen and directors before. Shetti blamed the stubborn attitude of the Maharashtra government and sugar factory managements. He said neither side had moved to resolve the dispute. Explainer ### What happened before - Farmers blocked the Pune-Bengaluru highway at the Kini toll plaza from November 3 and camped there through the nights. - Cane growers in the Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara belt have often used highway blockades during the crushing season. ### Why it matters The highway links Maharashtra and Karnataka, and the dispute can slow sugar output in one of India's top sugar-producing states. ### What to watch next - The blockade will continue until mills and the state government agree on the payment figure. - The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana has warned of a bigger agitation if farmers must protest through Diwali. --- ### Sources - [global-agriculture: Maharashtra Sugarcane Farmers Block Highway Over Mill Payments](https://www.global-agriculture.com/india-region/maharashtra-sugarcane-farmers-block-highway-over-mill-payments/?ref=newsanek.com)