Thanjavur: The Tamil Nadu Sugar Corporation Limited (TANSCO) has reduced the sugarcane-crushing target for the 2023-24 crushing season at its sugar mill in Kurunkulam, Thanjavur district. This decision comes amidst concerns raised by sugarcane farmers regarding inadequate cane cost and delayed disbursements, reported The Hindu.
Media report indicate that approximately 2.02 lakh tonnes of sugarcane were delivered to the Arignar Anna Sugar Mills at Kurunkulam by 1,863 registered cane cultivators during the 2022-23 period. As the cane crushing operations commenced for the current year on December 4, the authorities from the Tamil Nadu Sugar Corporation Limited (TANSCO) announced a reduced target of around 1.86 lakh tonnes of cane to be crushed at the mill during the 2023-24 season, marking a decrease of 16,000 tonnes compared to the previous year.
In response to media inquiries regarding the reduction in the crushing target, progressive cane cultivators and representatives of sugarcane farmers’ associations highlighted the waning interest in cane cultivation over the years. They attributed this decline to the perceived ‘inadequate’ cane cost, coupled with the delayed disbursement of cane payments.
To rekindle interest among farmers in cane cultivation, they proposed an increase in cane cost and advocated for its swift disbursement within a fortnight of cane supply. Additionally, they urged the government to absorb the cane-cutting charges currently borne by farmers from their own pockets.
