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Maharashtra’s sugar industry is witnessing a rapid shift towards mechanised harvesting as sugar mills and farmers increase investments in sugarcane harvesters to tackle recurring labour shortages and improve harvesting efficiency.
Modern sugarcane harvesters and hydraulic cutters are steadily replacing manual cane cutting, which has traditionally relied on large numbers of seasonal migrant workers. Industry stakeholders say the transition is also creating new employment opportunities for machine operators, drivers and technicians.
The report said a sugarcane harvester operates in two shifts during the crushing season, with each machine requiring a team of around 10 people, including operators, drivers and helpers. Under normal conditions, a single harvester can cut up to 150 tonnes of sugarcane a day, replacing the work of nearly 100 manual cane cutters.
Maharashtra’s crushing season typically runs from November to March, leaving most harvesters idle for the remaining seven months of the year. As a result, machine owners have to recover loan repayments and maintenance costs during the five-month operating period.
Based on the state’s current sugarcane acreage, Maharashtra requires around 3,000 sugarcane harvesters to meet harvesting demand. Around 500 new machines were purchased during the previous crushing season. However, purchases are expected to slow this year, with only 100 to 150 new harvesters likely to be added as lower rainfall linked to El Niño has dampened investment.
Several sugar mills have started purchasing harvesters directly, while others are providing loans to member farmers to facilitate mechanisation.
The increasing use of harvesters is also changing rural employment patterns. Although demand for traditional cane-cutting labour has declined, the industry is generating new jobs that require technical skills to operate and maintain harvesting equipment.
Industry sources said mechanisation has reduced dependence on seasonal migrant labour and labour contractors, offering relief to sugar mills that have struggled with shortages of cane-cutting workers in recent years. With labour availability becoming increasingly uncertain, mechanised harvesting is emerging as a key component of Maharashtra’s sugar industry.
More details: https://www.chinimandi.com/maharashtra-sugar-industry-turns-to-harvesters-as-labour-shortage-persists/