Dharmapuri: Farmers in the district have urged the government to raise the procurement price for sugarcane to Rs 5,000 per tonne. They cite rising cost of labourers and a shortage of workers as significant challenges that are cutting their profits.
K. Chinnasamy, a farmer from Palacode, shared his experience, while speaking to The New Indian Express, “During harvesting season, at least 12-16 men are required to cut down sugarcane per acre. Later, clearing an acre of land could take up to seven to 12 days. So, a large portion of our profit is lost in production. Further, throughout the year, we require labourers to clear out weeds and protect our produce. Hence, to meet all these expenses we want an increase in procurement price.”
J. Selvakumar, another farmer from Harur, remarked, “We only cultivate sugarcane once a year, so our profits are limited and have to be reinvested into the next crop. A procurement price increase to Rs 5,000 per tonne would be a huge help.”
When asked for comment, officials at the Subramaniya Siva Cooperative Sugarmill said they could not provide one at the moment. However, they assured that they would work to ensure fair payment for the farmers, reported TNIE.
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