Dharmapuri: Sugarcane farmers in Dharmapuri are not able to harvest cane due to a shortage of workers though two mills have started operations in the region, reports The New Indian Express.
Sugarcane crushing has been started by the Dharmapuri Cooperative Sugar mill in Palacode and the Subramaniya Siva Cooperative Sugar mill in Gopalapuram in December to assist farmers to clear their fields.
Good rainfall in Dharmapuri has resulted in an increase in cane cultivation in the region. As many as 20,577 acres of sugarcane fields are registered with both mills for crushing. The cane harvesting operations have been slowed due to a lack of workers in the region.
“Mills have started operations but we are struggling to find workers. Rainfall was good this season resulting in growth in cane cultivation but now we have to wait for workers to harvest cane,” said a farmer from the region.
“Farmers are paying around Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 to the workers per day but very few workers are skilled in cane harvesting hence we have to wait for the workforce to cut the crop,” said another farmer.
“We have provided harvesters and the cane farmers can use them as another option,” said officials from the Agriculture department.
