SALEM: Sugarcane farmers in this western belt have urged the Tamil Nadu government to purchase sugarcane stems from them, for inclusion as part of the ‘free Pongal gift hampers’ for all ration card holders ahead of the harvest festival, at current market rates as the ruling sugarcane prices are higher this year due to supply constraints in the wake of last year’s drought. The procurement price should be in line with the rates fixed when Ms. Jayalalithaa was Chief Minister, they emphasised.
Farmers have been cultivating two types of sugarcane, one for the sugar factories and another for direction consumption during festival season including ‘Pongal’ celebrations. The ‘Sengarumpu’ which is consumed directly by people, is planted in the month of April every year. It will be ready for harvest by December to sent the sugarcane bundles to the market for ‘Pongal’ festival. But a reduced level of production due to last year’s drought has pushed up its price now, they said.
Kalyanasundaram, a farmer from Kumarapalayam in Namakkal district, said, “the special variety of ‘Sengarubu’ is being cultivated only for the ‘Pongal’ festival and it is also in better demand for various festivals. Similarly, this variety of sugarcane is sent to states in the North including Gujarat and Maharashtra for festivals.”
According to him, a sugarcane stem that was sold at Rs 17 last year, following reduced production is now being sold at '22 a piece. He said that a pair of sugarcane would go for '150 in the market and it is likely to increase further.
Farmers fear that if the State government procured this variety of sugarcane at lower price for free ‘Pongal’ gift scheme, it will result in losses for them. He said, “former Chief Minister Jayalaithaa had fixed purchase price for sugarcane under free Pongal gift scheme at '7 for two-ft long sugarcane stem, '14 for 4-ft long stem, '21 for 6-ft long stem and '28 for an 8-ft long stem.
However, after purchasing sugarcane from farmers, officials did not settle the amount, which led to heavy loss for them.”
As officials have now begun bargaining with farmers for sugarcane purchase this year at a lower price, farmers are refusing to offer their produce. They urged that sugarcane purchase price should be fixed as per Amma’s announcement last year to protect farmers’ fair interests in the state.
