Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu: Sugarcane cultivation in Dharmapuri district can be expanded to around 6,000 hectares (approx 15,000 acres) by the next crushing season, which would help ensure the smooth functioning of sugar mills.
The district administration, along with the management of Subramaniya Siva Cooperative Sugar mill in Harur and Dharmapuri Cooperative Sugar mill in Palacode, has already launched initiatives to boost sugarcane farming in the region.
Due to limited cultivation area and a shortage of sugarcane for crushing, the sugar mill in Palacode was unable to operate efficiently. Meanwhile, the Subramaniya Siva Cooperative Sugar mill had ground 1.16 lakh metric tonnes of cane with a recovery of 10.43%. Concerned over the downward trend in cultivation, the district administration has tasked both mills with expanding their sugarcane growing areas, reported The New Indian Express.
An official from the Dharmapuri Cooperative Sugar mill said, “We are reaching out to farmers in every panchayat within our operational area. Our goal is to bring 5,000 acres under sugarcane cultivation. As of right now over 1,326 acres of cultivation area have been registered and we are taking steps to increase it. This year we have provided Rs 3,699 per tonne which includes the sugarcane price of Rs 3,350 per tonne and Rs 349 of assistance fund. With the recent announcement in the Assembly that sugarcane will be procured at Rs 4,000, we hope more farmers would get involved with its cultivation.”
Meanwhile, officials from the Subramaniya Siva Cooperative Sugarmill said, “Our target is to bring 10,000 acres under cultivation. In the 2024-25 season, we processed over 1.61 lakh tonnes of sugarcane with a recovery rate of 10.43%. For this, we had paid farmers Rs 3,881 per tonne which included Rs 3.532.80 per tonne and Rs 349 in assistance fund. Next year we hope to fetch more than Rs 4,100 per tonne. We urge farmers to capitalise on this and register their fields for sugarcane cultivation.”
