Dharmapuri: Sugarcane farmers have urged the Dharmapuri Cooperative Sugarmill authorities to help them to harvest cane standing in the fields as there is only one harvester operating in the region, reports The New Indian Express.
Sugarcane crushing in the region began in December and 1.70 lakh tonnes of cane is estimated to be produced in the district.
The mill had produced 98,559 quintals of sugar by crushing over 1.13 lakh tonnes of cane with a recovery rate of 8.71% in the 2021-22 season.
“Cane farmers are not able to harvest their cane due to lack of labour. Usually, farmers cut cane after 8 months but they are waiting to harvest even after completing 13 months,” said a farmer from the district.
“There is only one harvester in the district and it can cover one acre in an hour. The machine is not able to cover the entire region and it is difficult to cut cane grown in the region with a single harvester,” said another farmer.
The officials of the sugar mill were not available for comments on the issue.
