Sugarcane farmers in T.N. stare at rapid shrinkage in cultivation due to 'unviable' procurement price
Farmers in the Western districts have expressed disappointment over the support price of ₹355 per quintal announced by the Central Government, at a recovery rate of 10.25 % for 2025-26 crushing season, while criticising the State Government for not fulfilling its election promise of raising the procurement price to ₹4,000 per tonne.
As per the Centre's announcement, there will be no deduction for recovery below 9.5%; the support price of ₹329.05 per quintal will be maintained.
According to an official document, the average recovery rate in Tamil Nadu is 8.64 % only. On its part, the State Government has extended a special incentive of ₹349 per tonne of sugarcane for this crushing season.
Yet, the farmers are a worried lot not only because the cost of labour and inputs are rising at a fast pace, but also due to the impact caused to the cane crop by Yellow sugarcane aphid, a major pest causing yellowing and stunting of plants.
These plants will yield no recovery and have to be entirely discarded, Jegadeesh, a farmer belonging to Thirumoorthy Nagar said.
'The sugarcane farmers look for transparency on the part of the government in handling of molasses. The cumulative benefit accruing to the government from sugarcane procurement is concealed from the farmers. This is unfair,' Mr. Jegadeesh said.
There are tangible indications that farmers are shifting to coconut from sugarcane. Gopalakrishnan (44) of Udumalpet, a third generation sugarcane farmer who used to cultivate the crop in 10 acres, has shifted to coconut cultivation in half the area.
'I have plans to wind up sugarcane cultivation in toto in the coming years, as it has become unviable. There is no way out to continue with sugarcane cultivation in the absence of a minimum procurement price of ₹4,000 per tonne,' Mr. Gopalakrishnan said.
As per the calculation of the Central Government, the FRP (Fair and Remunerative Price) for sugar season 2025-26 is 4.41% higher than current sugar season 2024-25.
'In 2024-25, the FRP for sugarcane with a 9.5% sugar recovery rate was ₹3,151 per tonne. Now, the price has been increased by only ₹139 — a mere 4.41%.
This quantum of increase is bound to cause drastic decline in sugarcane cultivation in Tamil Nadu,' founder of Tamil Nadu Farmers' Protection Association Easan Murugasamy said.
Sugarcane farmers in Tamil Nadu are the worst affected. The procurement price per tonne is ₹4,550 in Gujarat, ₹4,200 in Chattisgarh, ₹3,750 in Maharashtra, and ₹3,490 in Bihar.
The command area of 15 lakh acres for the 40 sugar mills has now come down to just five lakh acres over the years in Tamil Nadu due to the disadvantage caused to cultivators, Mr. Murugesan pointed out.
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