Sugarcane farmers in AP struggle to survive due to unpaid dues, factory closures
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Visakhapatnam: Sugarcane cultivation in Andhra Pradesh has declined significantly due to increased production costs, labour shortages, and the closure of several sugar factories.
The state's sugar industry is in crisis, with farmers struggling to survive due to unpaid dues and the uncertainty surrounding the factories.
In the combined Visakhapatnam district, the Govada sugar factory is the only one surviving out of four. However, it owes around Rs 32 crore to farmers from the last crushing season. To be operational for this season, the factory needs another Rs 60 crore for overhauling and other expenses, bringing the total requirement to Rs 90 crore.
Farmers have been waiting for their money since the last crushing season, and the delay has led to protests.
Many farmers have already shifted to other crops such as maize, paddy, casuarina, and sunflower due to the uncertainty surrounding the sugar industry. The closure of sugar factories has been a major contributing factor, with two factories, Bheemasingi and Sitanagaram, closed in the combined Visakhapatnam district.
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Farmers are now transporting their produce to the Srikakulam district for processing. Meanwhile, similar situation prevails in Krishna district was Challapalli, Lakshmipuram, and Hanuman Junction factories shutting down in the recent years.
The extent of sugarcane farming in the state has decreased to only 40,000 hectares over the last decade. The Anakapalli district has witnessed a drastic fall, with farmers now cultivating below 3,000 hectares compared to 30,000 hectares seven years ago.
Speaking to TOI, sugarcane farmer A Satyanarayana said that sugarcane is a long-term crop that takes 10 months and requires a significant investment. "Farmers are getting only Rs 85,000 to Rs 90,000 revenue per acre. It is below Rs 65,000 in rainfed lands after investing Rs 80,000. How will the farmer survive?" he asked.
Most farmers are depending on jaggery, as the Anakapalli district has the second-largest market in the country.
However, the prices of jaggery have not provided much benefit to the farmers, , as they received only Rs 381 per 10 kg lump.
Ramunaidu, another farmer, said that the number of sugar factories has also dwindled, with only five factories now running out of 29. Of these, nine cooperative sugar factories closed, including three in the erstwhile Visakhapatnam and 15 were private factories.
"The future of the Govada sugar factory is uncertain, and it needs around Rs 100 crore for crushing this season. Earlier, it used to crush around five lakh tonnes of sugarcane, but now it has dropped to only one lakh tonnes. This year, farmers expect a steep decline in production," he said.
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