Maharashtra gur makers want govt to interfere as cane rates rise

PUNE: Prices of gur (jaggery) have declined in most parts of the country, in line with the downward trend in sugar prices, but gur manufacturers in Maharashtra have been hit hard due to high cane prices and have approached the state government seeking intervention.

“We submitted a request to revenue minister Chandrakant Patil on Monday to consider some kind of support as farmers cannot afford manufacturing gur at the prevailing market rates,” said Mohan Salape, deputy secretary, Kolhapur APMC (agricultural produce market committee).

Kolhapur gur manufacturers have to buy sugarcane at Rs 3,000 per tonne as sugar mills in the district pay this rate under pressure of the farmers’ organisation. “A rate of less than Rs 40 per kg thus becomes unaffordable here,” said Salape.


Gur prices have fallen Rs 2 per kg to Rs 35 per kg in the past fortnight, while prices have fallen Rs 5 per kg since October 2017, said Atul Shah, a trader from Kolhapur.

Kolhapur gur fetches the highest rate in the country, with Gujarat consuming 90 per cent of the produce.