The agitation over sugarcane prices in Maharashtra intensified on Wednesday, with the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana warning that it could escalate its protest by disrupting the supply of milk and vegetables to Mumbai and Pune if the state government fails to intervene and resolve the deadlock.Thousands of farmers, led by former MP and organisation founder Raju Shetti, continued their indefinite blockade of the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway near the Kini toll plaza for the second consecutive day, demanding a minimum first instalment of Rs 4,500 per tonne for sugarcane supplied to mills during the ongoing crushing season.The protest, which began around noon on Tuesday, has severely disrupted traffic on the busy highway, leaving several trucks and other vehicles stranded. Shetti has maintained that the blockade will continue until the farmers' demand is accepted.The organisation has accused sugar mill owners of refusing to offer farmers a remunerative price despite favourable market prices for sugar and substantial earnings from by-products such as bagasse and molasses.

Shetti questioned why mills were unwilling to increase payments to farmers when sugar and its by-products were fetching good prices. At an earlier sugarcane convention, he had demanded Rs 5,500 per tonne for the current crushing season.TRUCK DRIVERS LAUNCH SEPARATE PROTESTThe farmers' blockade has triggered a separate protest by truck drivers stranded at various points along the Pune-Bengaluru highway since Tuesday afternoon.

The drivers alleged that while cars and smaller vehicles were being allowed to pass, heavy vehicles had not been provided adequate alternative routes to reach their destinations. They also complained about a lack of food and drinking water facilities during the prolonged traffic disruption.On Wednesday, some truck drivers attempted to stage a separate blockade to protest against the restrictions.

Police personnel intervened and used force to move them to the roadside.The truckers alleged that police personnel slapped and assaulted one of the drivers during the intervention. Additional police personnel have since been deployed to prevent the situation from escalating.The drivers are demanding that the administration arrange alternative routes for heavy vehicles instead of keeping them stranded indefinitely if traffic cannot be allowed on the blocked highway.TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS ACROSS WESTERN MAHARASHTRAThe agitation has affected traffic at several locations along the Pune-Bengaluru highway.

Apart from the Kini toll plaza in Kolhapur, farmers have also staged blockades near Nagthane in Satara district.Traffic movement has been disrupted across stretches covering Satara, Nagthane, Umbraj, Atit, Kini and surrounding areas.Police have arranged diversions at several locations, including Karad, Peth Naka, Sangli Phata, Top, Vathar, Kagal and Uchgaon Phata. Heavy vehicles have been particularly affected, with long queues reported at multiple points.FARMERS QUESTION SUGAR MILLS' EARNINGSThe Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana has argued that sugar mills are earning substantial revenues from sugar, ethanol and other by-products but are unwilling to share a fair proportion of their earnings with sugarcane growers.Apart from demanding a first instalment of Rs 4,500 per tonne, the organisation has sought an increase in the minimum selling price of sugar from Rs 31 to Rs 50 per kg and a revision of ethanol procurement prices.Meanwhile, discussions involving sugar industry representatives and experts are expected to take place at the Sugar Commissioner's office in Pune.FADNAVIS APPEALS TO SHETTI TO CALL OFF AGITATIONChief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed to Shetti to withdraw the agitation over sugarcane prices, saying the state government was holding discussions to resolve the dispute.Fadnavis said the government had already announced the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), but farmers were seeking a higher payment.

He added that discussions between farmers and sugar mill owners were underway.The Chief Minister said the agitation should be called off peacefully and that Minister Hasan Mushrif had also been directed to hold discussions with stakeholders to find a resolution.Earlier, Fadnavis had warned that delays in starting crushing operations at sugar mills in Maharashtra could prompt factories in neighbouring Karnataka to procure sugarcane from farmers in the state, potentially leaving Maharashtra's mills facing a shortage of cane.- Ends