Thanjavur farmers roiled over low procurement price for chewing sugarcane

THANJAVUR: Farmers in the district cultivating chewing sugarcane (Pongal karumbu) are an unhappy lot as private traders quote a procurement price that is lower than that offered last year. According to farmers, traders are procuring sugarcane only for Rs 12 or Rs 13 as against last year's rate of Rs 17 or Rs 20. Sugarcane cultivated in areas like Soorakkottai and Tirukkattupalli are being harvested ahead of Pongal.

According to officials of the agriculture department, unlike the large-scale cultivation of sugarcane meant for procurement at sugar mills, 'Pongal Karumbu', every year, is cultivated only in around 300 hectares across the district. "Chewing sugarcane is being cultivated in Tiruppanandal, Ammapettai, Papanasam, Tirukkattupalli, Soorakkottai and Tiruvaiyaru areas in the district," an official said.

However, the farmers say the quantity of sugarcane procured for family card holders is not in proportion with the number of sugarcane cultivated. Further, they complain of the traders offering less for their yield. R Adisivan, a sugarcane farmer from Tirukkattupalli, said the officials this year have insisted on procuring only six-foot high sugarcane as per a government order.

However, he said that hybrid varieties, which comparatively are prone to wilt soon, only grow to that extent, adding that the farmers have raised concerns over the procurement process undertaken by the state government. Further, Adisivan said farmers like him in Tirukkattupalli area had lost sugarcane yield up to 10% to wild boar attack.

Instead of the usual yield of 24,000 canes per acre, he now got only 21,000 per acre. Arun, a farmer from Soorakkottai area, said the traders have been offering a maximum price of Rs 15 per cane as on Friday, which is lower to last year's rate. The cooperative department had offered a price between Rs 18 and Rs 19 per cane until this month, Arun added.

Further, though the farmers were offered only around Rs 12 to Rs 15 per cane, the traders have been selling them at a rate of Rs 20 to Rs 30 per cane to consumers in Thanjavur and nearby areas as on Friday. The price is likely to fluctuate till the eve of Pongal depending on consumer demand, a trader said.