Makar Sankranti: Festive cheer bittersweet in Bengaluru with soaring sugarcane prices

Bengaluru: This year’s Makar Sankranti celebrations have taken a bitter turn as sugarcane prices are soaring in anticipation of the harvest festival.

Despite truckloads of sugarcane stalk arriving in Bengaluru’s markets, the festive cheer is overshadowed by a substantial price increase, with a bundle of 10 stalks now costing Rs 350-400, up from Rs 250-300 last year.

Growers and sellers DH spoke to attribute the price surge to a drastic 50% drop in yield compared to last year, a consequence of the monsoon failure.

Kurubur Shanthakumar, a farmer leader, pointed to both inadequate rainfall and government indifference towards fair procurement prices as contributors to the reduced production. “Sugarcane prices may be high in the market, but production is down not just because of the poor monsoon, but also because farmers are fed up waiting for the government to come to our aid,” he said.

Street vendors, obtaining sugarcane from various locations, including Hoskote, Channapatna, Hassan, Salem, and parts of Tamil Nadu, are feeling the pinch.

Umraz Khan, son of Zikrya Khan, a sugarcane seller in KR Market for the past 45 years, confirmed that the price surge is due to drop in supply. “Farmers have hiked prices this year due to a meagre harvest,” he said, contrasting the situation with last year’s abundant supply.

Tabrez, Sufi and Afzal Pasha, who have been selling sugarcane in KR Market since the 1980s, said they are giving 10 sugarcane sticks for Rs 400.

Spirits dampened 

The festive spirit extends beyond sugarcane, with popular areas like Avenue Road, Gandhi Bazaar, and Malleswaram bustling with traditional offerings like 'ellu bella' (seasme seeds), raw peanuts, and sugar candies neatly bunched into packs of various shapes and sizes. Products like sweet potatoes and peanuts are from Salem, dry coconut from Tiptur, and jaggery from Mandya.

However, soaring prices of these staples dampen the joyous occasion. Jaggery prices have doubled, reaching Rs 200 per kilogram, while sesame seeds, peanuts, and dry coconut all witness significant hikes, impacting both shopkeepers and consumers alike.