Srikakulam: Sugarcane farmers in north coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh are feeling bitter over cane cultivation as the input costs have been increasing but the returns have remained the same, reports The HansIndia.
Farmers from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Parvathipuram (Manyam) districts have been disappointed over the increasing cost of cultivation, harvesting, and transportation of crops. They need to spend around Rs 15,000 per acre for cane cultivation. The wages for cane cutting have been increased to Rs 22,000 per acre. Total investment per acre reaches around Rs 44,000 and after deducting all the expenses, farmers earn Rs 59,600 per acre based on the government’s fixed rate of sugarcane at Rs 2,980 per tonne.
GVV Satyanarayana, the deputy commissioner for sugarcane cultivation and monitoring for north coastal AP districts, said, “Farmers are shifting from cane to millets and maize that can be cultivated thrice in a year.”
