State farmers cheer year of cane; raise acreage

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Mills want to milk the price rally, but farmers are demanding their share.

This year too supply is scarce as area under cane contracted and the weakest monsoon since 1972 hit the crop. Mills wanting to run on full capacity has had farmers like Bhosle smiling.

Maharashtra is likely to produce 4.8 million tonnes of sugar in the 2009/10, compared to 4.6 million tonnes a year ago.

Nearly all mills in the state have begun operations and rest will do it by this month-end, said Rajendra Chavan, the state's sugar commissioner.

Though heavy unseasonal rains earlier this month hampered crushing, it also raised moisture level in the soil.

"Earlier rainfall was a concern. But now dams are full, soil moisture level is good. It will help winter plantation," says Balasaheb Patil, president of the Sahyadri Co-operative Sugar Factory in Karad, near Satara.

"Certainly there would be increase in acreage. It is difficult to estimate the rise now, but it would be more than 15%," Chavan said.

The water in the dams is also encouraging farmers to take cane in the winter after harvesting summer crops.

"I am increasing acreage by one acre for next crushing season. For this year I have one and half acres of plantation," said Bhosle, who owns six acres.

Cane is a perennial crop and harvested after 12-14 months from plantation.

India's estimated 2009/10 output of 15.3 million tonnes falls severely short of domestic consumption of about 23 million for a second straight year, a Reuters poll showed.

Industry and government officials say next year per hectare yield would be higher as the prospects of a record price is sending farmers flocking to fertilizer shops.

"Two years back prices were very low. Today, they are high and it is time for us to cash in," said Anil Jaikar, another farmer, pumping water to irrigate his cane field in Gove.