Sugarcane turned bitter for thousands of farmers in North Andhra districts
Farmers in North Andhra districts are abandoning sugarcane cultivation due to the closure of multiple local sugar factories. The lack of processing facilities and economic viability has led to a significant reduction in crop acreage across the region.
Why it matters
The decline of the sugar industry in this region threatens the livelihoods of thousands of farmers and highlights the challenges of agricultural industrialization.
Farmers are likely to stay away from sugarcane crops from next year, due to the closure of three sugar factories and another one on the verge of closure in North Andhra districts such as Vizianagaram, Parvatipuram and Srikakulam districts.
The farmers used to grow sugarcane in 35000 acres till about a few years ago in Vizianagaram district. Now, it has been reduced to 3500 acres. The crop area, which was around 50,000 acres in Srikakulam district got reduced to 5000 acres. The farmers are likely to shift to other crops from next Rabi season with the closure of operations in all four sugar factories.
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