Bangkok: Olam International was recently in the news after its decision to shut its sugar trade desk. It has two sugar mills in India, and the company’s senior representative shares the challenges for Olam India in Sugarcane farming.
While speaking at Bonsucro Global Week, Bangkok, Bharat Kundal, Vice President Operation of Olam Agro India said, “In Madhya Pradesh, we stand to loose sugarcane farmers because of other competitive crops, and in Maharashtra, there is competition from other mills/buyers.”
At Bonsucro Global week, experts from the industry participated and shared valuable information on how to promote sustainable sugarcane production.
Kundal was one of the panellists on the issue “Gender Agenda: Women’s Role in Cane”, where he highlighted that women participation is very low in sugarcane farming in India and said that gender is a big issue which is one of the challenges for Olam India.
Stressing on challenges over access to finance for Agri Inputs (Fertilizer and Irrigation), he commented, “Farmers have limited access which is leading to low production.”
Elaborating on the challenges faced by the company, Kundal further added, “Farmers do not want their children to become sugarcane farmers, so there is a lack of manpower.”
Speaking about the work done by Olam so far, he said, “We are training to all sugarcane farmers and hold entrepreneurship program for young farmers.”
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