'Pay full price for Pongal cane, we'll bear other costs'

MENTIONING that they were hardly paid even ₹22 per cane as against the procurement price of ₹33 fixed last year, farmers who have cultivated chewing sugarcane (Pongal karumbu) urge the state government to be transparent with the pricing for sugarcane procurement undertaken for distribution to ration cardholders as part of the Pongal gift hamper.

- N RAMESH @Thanjavur

The cooperative, food and consumer protection department in its government order dated December 31, 2025, has pegged the procurement price for full length sugarcane as part of the Pongal hamper at ₹38. As per the G.O., about 2.23 crore sugarcane sticks are to be purchased across the state for the gift hamper. Unlike the sugarcane meant for sugar mills which is usually cultivated on thousands of hectares in the district, the chewing sugarcane is raised on around 300 acres, said agriculture and farmers' welfare department officials. Further, the c