Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu: Sugarcane prices in Dharmapuri have been rising steadily, making things tough for the jaggery industry. Producers point to poor rainfall and a decline in sugarcane production as factors. The cottage industry has more than 1,500 families working in 70 small units at Papparapatti, Palacode, Marandahalli, and elsewhere, reported The New Indian Express.
S. Chinnasamy, treasurer of the Dharmapuri Sugarcane and Jaggery Producers Association, explained, “Sugarcane prices in Tamil Nadu have jumped from ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 per tonne this year because of the lack of rain. We also have to pay an extra ₹1,500 for transportation and labour. Even though our costs have increased, the market price of jaggery and its demand have not increased, which is hurting our business.”
He also mentioned that a kilogram of jaggery sells for around ₹45 to ₹48. “A tonne of sugarcane only produces about 110 kilograms of jaggery, leaving us with a big loss. When we add in labour costs, we lose another ₹500 to ₹800 per production unit.”
Another producer from the same region shared similar concerns. “We have around 70 units producing jaggery, and we make about 70 to 75 tonnes of it each day. We supply to nearby districts like Salem, Erode, and Vellore, but there’s a lack of demand. In the past, people used jaggery to make sweets at home during festivals like Deepavali, but now, most just buy sweets from shops, and that has reduced demand and lowered prices. If more people started using jaggery again, it would help us sustain the cottage industry.”
One more jaggery producer said the current prices are not enough to keep the business running. “We need at least ₹55 to ₹60 per kilogram to make a profit. Finding skilled labourers is also getting harder, which means labour costs keep going up each year. But we can’t raise our prices, or traders won’t buy the jaggery. If this continues, it’s not just us who will suffer but also the families of the workers who rely on this industry.”
The jaggery producers are hoping for an increase in demand and support from the market to keep their industry alive and help the many families dependent on it for their livelihoods.
