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Institute of Agribusiness Management, S.V. Agricultural College, ANGRAU, Tirupati-517 502.
This study investigates the challenges faced by sugarcane growers in Andhra Pradesh, focusing on cultivation, jaggery production, and marketing. The research explores the constraints perceived by farmers and analyzes their suggestions to address these issues and revive the jaggery industry. The methodology involves a comprehensive ex-post facto research design conducted in the Anakapalle district, which has the highest sugarcane cultivation area. Sixty respondents, selected through a random sampling procedure, provided insights into 18 identified problems categorized under sugarcane cultivation, jaggery making, and jaggery marketing. Garrett’s ranking technique was employed to prioritize constraints based on severity, revealing labor scarcity, increasing wages, and high capital requirements as prominent issues in sugarcane cultivation. Lack of technical knowledge in jaggery making, limited government support, and low recovery of jaggery from sugarcane were highlighted as major challenges. In jaggery marketing, inadequate prices and middlemen involvement were identified as key concerns. The study concludes with valuable suggestions from sugarcane growers, emphasizing mechanization, Minimum Support Prices (MSP), technical guidance, and improved market information dissemination for sustainable growth in the sugarcane and jaggery sector.
KEYWORDS: Sugarcane cultivation, Jaggery production, Agricultural challenges, Technical guidance, Constraints.