DHARMAPURI: Ahead of Pongal, farmers and jaggery producers across Tamil Nadu are urging the government to include locally made jaggery in the Pongal gift hampers, traditionally distributed by the state to all family ration card holders through fair price shops during the harvest festival. This, according to them, will give a big boost to cottage industry and jaggery manufacturers – who are reeling under lack of demand and rising production costs – besides supporting rural livelihood.
Every year essential commodities like pacharisi (raw rice), sugar and sugarcane are distributed to ration card holders by the state as part of its customary festive outreach.
G Sugumar, a farmer and jaggery manufacturer from Kadagathur, said, “Every year, the government distributes ‘Pongal gift’, so why not utilise the cottage industries and procure jaggery from local producers in the state and provide it to the ration shops? With more demand in the market, the jaggery manufacturers across the state would benefit from the initiative.”
In Dharmapuri district, there are over 100 jaggery production units in parts of Dharmapuri, Palacode, Pennagaram, Papparapatti and other areas. Over the years, the cottage industry has taken a nosedive due to lack of demand and rising production costs. To revive the traditional jaggery production, manufacturers are urging the state government to include locally made jaggery in the annual “Pongal gift”.
P Chinnasamy, secretary of the Dharmapuri All Farmers and Jaggery Manufacturers Association, said, “Dharmapuri contributes 17%-20% of the total jaggery produced in the state, with the district producing about 60 tonnes of jaggery per day. The traditional jaggery production has been deeply affected by the increasing product cost and the lack of demand. We need about a tonne of sugarcane, which costs about Rs 2,800 per tonne, to manufacture about 100 kg of jaggery. Along with this, we need to invest in transportation, labour charges, and then there is also the manufacturing process. From cane to jaggery – we expend Rs 5,200 to Rs 5,500 for manufacturing 100 kg-110 kg of jaggery. But the market prices are only at Rs 46 to Rs 48 per kg. So we stand to lose around Rs 900. As the market has very little demand, we cannot increase prices.”
Sugumar added, “We need about 25 labourers to efficiently run a jaggery manufacturing unit. It is an extremely tedious job, but requires a certain skill level also. So, many avoid this line of work. So to keep the labourers from abandoning their role, we have to pay Rs 700 to Rs 1,000 per labourer per day. In such a situation, we need the state government to step in.”
Regarding the demand, officials in the District Supply Office said, “The demand was there during the previous years also, but as it is related to policy, the state government has the final say on the matter.”