Nearly 60% sugarcane farmers shift to veggies after Sanjeevani closure

Margao: There has been a significant transformation of the agricultural landscape in the state following the closure of the Sanjivani sugar factory at Dharbandora, as nearly 60% farmers have abandoned sugarcane cultivation.

The latest data shows that nearly 43% of the cultivators shifted away from sugarcane farming in 2024-25 alone.

The official statistics show that from 676 sugarcane farmers in 2020-21, the count plummeted to just 497 in 2024-25. The crisis began when the Sanjivani sugar factory ceased crushing operations in 2019-20, leaving farmers without their primary buyer and forcing them to seek alternative crops. The percentage shift from sugarcane cultivation has been steadily accelerating — from just 4.29% in 2020-21 to 13.34% in 2022-23, and then climbing steeply to 42.65% in the current year.“The factory closure has been the primary driver behind this shift,” a source in the agriculture department said. “Farmers are finding vegetable cultivation more remunerative, with shorter crop durations and assured market demand.”The farmers transitioning away from sugarcane have opted for diverse vegetable crops including brinjal, okra, cluster beans, green chillies, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, cucumber, ginger, ridge gourd, and ash gourd.

These crops offer the advantage of quicker returns and a ready market, unlike sugarcane which requires long-term commitment and guaranteed processing facilities.Sources in the agriculture department said that currently only 298 farmers undertake sugarcane cultivation, representing just over 43% of the original farming community that once depended on this cash crop. In other words, nearly 60% of the sugarcane farmers have abandoned cane cultivation over the last four years.Govt has provided substantial financial support to the affected farmers, disbursing over Rs 44 crore in special assistance from 2020-21 to 2024-25, with rates ranging from Rs 3,000 per tonne initially to Rs 2,200 per tonne in the current year. A notification issued in May has ensured continued support for the remaining sugarcane cultivators, with assistance based on fair and remunerative price guidelines set by the National Cooperative Sugar Federations.