Thanjavur: With Pongal celebrations just round the corner, the sale of sugarcane, the most important harvest of the season which signifies prosperity, is yet to pick up in Thanjavur due to crop failure and absence of cash-flow among people, particularly in rural areas.

Till two years ago, the market had been getting huge stocks of sugarcane, the most important harvest of the season. But, the failure in monsoon has dearly affected the sugarcane influx for the last two years, say sugarcane traders.

“A bundle of 10 sticks of sugarcane is being sold for anything between Rs 150 and Rs 200 as there is no much demand for sugarcane this year. In the last three days, the total sales stood at Rs 5,000. It was Rs 50,000 during the same period some a couple of years ago,” says K Vellaisamy of Parisutham Nagar, Kalimedu village, who has been selling sugarcane near Sivaganga garden in Thanjavur for Pongal celebrations for the past 10 years.

Deficit rain fall has not only affected the sugarcane influx into the markets here, but also the quality. “The girth of each stick has reduced this year,” says R Chembien, resident of Thanjavur.
Unlike the previous years, the cane price has increased now. Currently, a bundle of 10 canes is being sold at Rs 200 while a single cane is sold at Rs 30, says S Soundarrajan of Srinivasapuram, Thanjavur, who has been selling sugarcane near Sivaganga Garden in Thanjavur for Pongal celebrations for the past five years.