Lack of remunerative price, rise in cultivation cost drive sugarcane farmers to other crops 

Cultivation of sugarcane has gradually decreased in the district from 5,500 hectares to 1,400 hectares in the current year.

NELLORE: Cultivation of sugarcane has gradually decreased in the district from 5,500 hectares to 1,400 hectares in the current year. There are two sugar factories in the district. Farmers under the purview of Empee Sugars at Naidupeta cultivated sugarcane in 150 hectares and those under Sudulagunta Sugars cultivated in 1,125 hectares in Podalakur. Farmers have been demanding `3,500 as minimum support price for sugarcane to increase the crop acreage. Due to lack of support from the government and factory owners, they are switching over to paddy cultivation. Normally, every sugar factory has 3.25 lakh tonnes crushing capacity of sugarcane crushing capacity. 

Due to decrease in sugarcane acreage in the area, the factory has reduced the crushing target this season. According to official sources, farmers in Podalakur mandal have been cultivating sugarcane in around 600 acres this season as against 1,500 acres. Farmers from Podalakur, Kaluvoya, Chejerla, Ananthasagaram, Rapur, Sangam, Atmakur, ASpeta, Marripadu, Varikuntapadu and parts of Badvel supply sugarcane to Sudulagunta sugars in Podalakur. But, now only a few farmers from Podalakur and also in other mandals have been cultivating sugarcane as the cost of cultivation has gradually increased and also the managements have failed to clear the dues to farmers.

Meanwhile, farmers from Pellakur, Chittamur, Ozili, Naidupet, Sullurpeta, Tada and also in other areas had supplied sugarcane to Naidupet sugar factory. It is also crushing sugarcane being supplied by farmers of Chittoor district. “I have cultivated sugarcane in 7 acres at a cost of `37,000 per acre. Though I supplied sugarcane to the private factory in Podalakur mandal last year, the management has failed to clear the amount till now. There is a need to increase the minimum support price for sugarcane,” said M Prasad Reddy, a farmer from Naidupet mandal. 

If the government fails to provide minimum support price for sugarcane, many farmers may switch over to other crops bringing down the crop acreage further, he added.Kovur co-operative sugar factory has been closed since 2013. “I cultivated sugarcane and supplied it to the private sugar factory in Podalkur. But it is not remunerative. The cost of cultivation for sugarcane has gradually increased for the past five years. With this, I have shifted to paddy cultivation this season,” said N Venkataramaiah, a farmer from Chejerla mandal. 

Meanwhile cane commission officials said managements of the private sugar factories have not been clearing the dues promptly. With this, majority of sugarcane farmers have been shifting towards cultivation of other crops.  

Sugarcane crop acreage on the decline
Cost of cultivation increases
Sugarcane factories reduce crushing capacity
Farmers demand government intervention to ensure MSP

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