CHITTOOR: Jaggery farmers in the district are a happy lot now as the price of the produce has increased in the open market. This has resulted in traders making profits all year round as they have been exporting jaggery to various parts of the country at better prices. Around 150 metric tonnes of jaggery is being transported on a daily basis from the market yards in Chittoor district.
Earlier, the average price of black jaggery was between Rs 30-Rs 35 per kilogram. This has increased to Rs 40 per kilogram. Similarly, the average price of one kg yellow jaggery has increased from Rs 45 to Rs 50. Sugarcane is cultivated in around 13,000 hectares across Chittoor district, making it the second major crop after groundnut. In the current season, farmers manufactured around 15,000 tonnes of black and yellow jaggery from 1.50 lakh tonnes of sugarcane. Normally, one tonne of jaggery is manufactured from 10 tonnes of sugarcane.
Traders across the district sell jaggery in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore as the produce has a good demand in the market. “We faced troubles in exporting the produce during the first lockdown. Now, the price has gone up to Rs 40 per kilogram in Chittoor market yard. We have been exporting jaggery to various parts of Tamil Nadu, where traders are also ready to purchase the produce,” said Sudheer Reddy, a farmer from Gangadhara Nellore.
Jaggery manufacturers from Salem, Dharmapuri and Chittoor districts also go to Vellore to sell jaggery at the wholesale market. The export of jaggery has also provided employment to porters and truck drivers in the district.
Earlier, first-grade jaggery used to be manufactured in Bangarupalyam, Irala, Thavanamapalle, Putalapattu, Yadamari, Palasamudram, Nellore and SR Puram mandals. Jaggery from Irala, Thavanampalle and also Bangarupalyam had a good demand in the open market. However, due to various reasons, the manufacturing of jaggery has been shifted to other mandals in the district.
Black jaggery
Present market price: Rs 40 a kg
Old price: Rs 30-Rs 35 per kg
Yellow jaggery
Present market price: Rs 50 a kg
Old price: Rs 45 per kg
15,000 tonnes of black and yellow jaggery produced in the district this year