India, Oct. 28 -- After many medium-scale industries from northern Karnataka shifted to Maharashtra in recent years seeking better infrastructure and policy support, sugarcane farmers from the region are now following a similar path. A growing number of cultivators are selling their produce to mills across the border, drawn by higher prices, faster payments, and transparent operations, a stark contrast to the delays and lower rates at Karnataka's own mills.

According to farmer unions, thousands of cultivators from Belagavi, Bagalkot, and Vijayapura districts now supply cane to mills in Maharashtra's Kolhapur region, including Hemaras, Harali, Hamidwadi, Shahu, Datt, Gurudatt, and Panchaganga, which collectively crush over a million tonne...