Gidhaur, Jharkhand: Once renowned for its sugarcane and the jaggery produced from it, the villages of Gidhaur block are now witnessing a decline in sugarcane farming, reported Prabhat Khabar.
Diseases affecting sugarcane, the labour-intensive nature of the crop, and the lack of high-quality varieties have dissuaded farmers from continuing its cultivation. Two decades ago, thousands of acres in various villages of the block were dedicated to sugarcane farming. Today, it is visible only in a few villages.
Farmers recall that in the past, Gidhaur’s jaggery was highly cherished by the district’s residents. The jaggery from this region was famous not only in the Chatra district but also in Hazaribagh, Gaya, Ranchi, Ramgarh, Dhanbad, and other cities. Farmers primarily sold their jaggery in the Maharajganj market, where it was in high demand.
Better varieties of sugarcane are becoming extinct. The block once cultivated many superior varieties of sugarcane, now on the verge of extinction.
Two decades ago, villages like Barisakhi, Gidhaur, Indra, Rupin, Dadua, Peksa, Nayakhap, Kendra, Pehra, Lubdhia, Lohri, Gandke, and Rohmar in the block had large-scale sugarcane farming. Now, most villages have ceased sugarcane cultivation. However, farmers in Indra village of Duwari Panchayat are still engaged in sugarcane farming.
