Sugarcane fields in Marayur are now dotted with overgrown plants after the failure of timely harvesting due to lack of workers from Tamil Nadu.
In addition the prices of jaggery remained low despite poor production.
Farmers said that many of them had delayed harvesting due to the shortage of workers. Once it is not harvested in time the production of juice will considerably fall resulting in a lower jaggery production. They said that the maximum period for its growth is 12 months.
The average price they gets is ₹60 and only a price of over ₹80 will make it remunerative to the farmer.
Marayur jaggery is produced in household units. After, it received the geographical indication (GI) tag three agencies were entrusted with the right to sell it is as it received the brand name ‘Marayur Jaggery.’ The three agenicis are Marayur Karimpulpadaka Vipanana Sanghom, Mapco (Marayur Agriculture Producer Company) and Mhads (Marayur Hills Agricultural Development Society)
Selvin Marappan, chief of Mapco on Sunday said that the government had not included Marayur jaggery in the Onam kit. It was their longstanding demand to make Marayur jaggery available at Sabarimala for making aravana and for supplying anganwadis.
There is also complaint that low quality jaggery from Tamil Nadu is being packed as Marayur jaggery.
P.T. Somasekaran Nair, a sugercane farmer said that the agencies should ensure that only Marayur jaggery should be packed in its name. Once the poor quality jaggery is packed as Marayur jaggery, its demand will fall and would create a wrong impression among buyers.
It was during last Onam season, Marayur jaggery fetched the highest price of ₹4,100 for a 50 kg sack.
