Incessant rains hit jaggery production in Andhra's Chittoor 

Incessant rains in Rayalaseema under the influence of deep depressions in the Bay of Bengal have affected jaggery production. 
For the past three weeks, most of the jaggery-making units in Chittoor district remained closed, with bundles of sugarcane lying unused. 
For the past three weeks, most of the jaggery-making units in Chittoor district remained closed, with bundles of sugarcane lying unused. 

CHITTOOR: Incessant rains in Rayalaseema under the influence of deep depressions in the Bay of Bengal have affected jaggery production. 

For the past three weeks, most of the jaggery-making units in Chittoor district remained closed, with bundles of sugarcane lying unused. 

Jaggery production requires a sunny climate as dry sugarcane bagasse is used to ignite fire in jaggery units’ hearths. But the prime issue is change in quality, since sugarcane juice with high water content takes more time to thicken.

Around 150 metric tonnes of jaggery is transported on a daily basis from market yards in Chittoor district. 
In fact, sugarcane is the second major crop after groundnut in Chittoor district. Sugarcane is cultivated in around 13,000 hectares across the district. Farmers have only shifted 1.50 lakh tonnes of sugarcane for the manufacturing of jaggery. Normally, one ton of jaggery would be manufactured from 10 tonnes of sugarcane. Farmers have manufactured around 15,000 tonnes of jaggery, that includes black and coloured varieties, during the season. 

As the district witnessed rains almost 15 days in November, the production of jaggery has dropped, leaving many workers jobless. 

Usually, the export of jaggery gives employment to porters and truck drivers in the district. Almost all tanks in the region are brimmed to their maximum storage level and local canals and rivulets are overflowing following the heavy rainfall in the upstream, halting the manufacturing of jaggery in the area.

Meanwhile, some stocks of sugarcane, which were stored at the manufacturing units, have also been damaged in the recent rainfall.  

“We received an order from Tamil Nadu, but postponed it keeping the cyclone situation in view. Sugarcane stocks stored in the unit were damaged. It takes more time to thicken the sugarcane juice during the rainy season. Moreover, several manufacturing units suffered  damages due to strong winds and rains,” K Narayana, a trader from Gangadhara Nellore, said.  Jaggery from Irala, Tavanampalli and Bangarupalyam has good demand in the open market. 

“Workers were confined to their houses with the huge rainfall activity in the region for around two weeks. Sugarcane stocks stored in the unit were completely damaged. We had halted the production for more than 10 days,” said P Sekhar Babu from Bangarupalyam.

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