Sugarcane farmers advised to opt for scientific cultivation to increase yield

This follows reports from Maharashtra revealing that farmers were getting as much as 120 tonnes per acre compared to the normal 40 tonnes per acre in Tamil Nadu. Interacting with this reporter, Anandan said “mill officials are encouraging farmers to opt for scientific cultivation and have shown them how Maharashtra farmers cane yields are triple that of local farmers. We suggest that they opt for drip irrigation and that all nutrients for the crop be mixed with water supplied through drip irrigation so that it reaches the root directly without any wastage.”

With VCSM being the only operational mill in integrated Vellore district in the ensuing crushing season which starts next month, “farmers if necessary, will also be brought to the mill premises where cane raised through the Punjab pit planting method is expected to average 80 tonnes per acre when harvested next month” Anandan added.

Tamil Nadu Farmers association Vellore district president K Raja who has also planted 3 acres under the pit method said: “the lush growth through this method will ensure a yield of not less than 80 tonnes per acre when harvested next month.”

With the sugar department issuing orders to divert cane from the Ambur and Tirupatttur sugar mills, cane farmers from Polur in neighbouring Tiruvannamalai district demand that their crop also is diverted to VCSM.

When asked Tiruvannamalai Collector KS Kandasamy said “with the private mill in Polur being non-functional for more than two years, the cane will be diverted to the Cheyyar cooperative sugar mill” but accepted that transport costs to that mill would affect Polur farmers.

When asked if cane from Polur was being diverted on the sly to another private mill in nearby Kallakurichi district, he replied in the negative.