Salem: As Pongal, the harvest festival, approaches, sugarcane farmers in Tamil Nadu are expecting crop procurement. Sugarcane farmers in the district have urged the State government to issue an order to procure sugarcane directly from them and distribute it through ration shops for Pongal, reported The Hindu.
One of the sugarcane farmers pointed out that, on average, an acre of farmland yields around 20,000 stalks of sugarcane, incurring costs of ₹2.80 lakh per acre over a ten-month cultivation period, covering expenses for manure and cutting charges. Janardhanan underscored that the State government’s delay in announcing the procurement order, unlike the previous year, has left farmers uncertain about sending their sugarcane to other states. Expressing hope, he stated, “We are hopeful that the government procures sugarcane from farmers and distributes it through ration shops.”
Calling for an increase in the procurement price, he emphasized that the current charges for cutting sugarcane have risen from ₹2.50 to ₹4 per stalk this year. To mitigate potential losses for farmers, he suggested a procurement price of ₹35.65 per stalk, ensuring a profit margin of ₹24 per stalk. Additionally, he urged the government to consider providing two sugarcanes to each ration card holder.
Uzhavar Perunthalaivar Narayanasamy Naidu’s Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam president, R. Velusamy, echoed the sentiments, requesting the State government to announce Pongal gift hampers for ration card holders, similar to past practices. He proposed that all products in the hamper, including jaggery, be procured from Tamil Nadu farmers, ensuring a fair profit for them. Velusamy further urged the government to refrain from procuring jaggery from other states.
