Mon Mar 03 16:50:06 UTC 2025: ## Kalaburagi Farmers to Protest for Red Gram Compensation
**Kalaburagi, Karnataka, March 3, 2025** – Farmers in Kalaburagi district are planning a major protest on Wednesday, demanding government intervention to address significant red gram crop losses due to wilt disease. The protest, organized by the Kalaburagi District Raitha Horata Samiti, has received backing from the Zilla Krishika Samaj and the Grains and Seeds Merchants Association.
According to organizers, wilt disease has affected 182,963 hectares of the district’s 6.6 lakh hectares of red gram crop. They are demanding ₹25,000 per acre in compensation for affected farmers. While a joint survey by the Agriculture and Revenue Departments has been conducted and a report submitted to the state government, no action has yet been taken.
Further fueling the farmers’ anger is the perceived disparity in Minimum Support Prices (MSP) between red gram and green gram. While green gram, a 60-day crop, has an MSP of ₹8,682 per quintal, red gram, a 180-day crop, has an MSP of only ₹7,550. Protesters are calling for an increase in the MSP for red gram and for increased financial support for the Tur Development Board.
Kalaburagi district contributes 13% of India’s total red gram production, highlighting the national significance of the issue. The protest aims to pressure both the state and central governments to address the crisis facing red gram farmers.
First Piper 