Kochi: With demand for Alangad jaggery surging just a year after production began, the Alangad Cooperative Society has decided to expand sugarcane cultivation to 50 acres to boost output, reported The New Indian Express.
While jaggery sourced from other states sells for ₹60 to ₹70 per kg, Alangad jaggery is priced at ₹200 per kg. Despite the higher price, temples and ayurvedic medicine manufacturers are requesting a steady supply. According to society president P. J. Davis, the immediate target is to expand cultivation from the current 15 acres to 25 acres by November.
Alangad, situated on the banks of the Periyar, had a strong tradition of jaggery-making until the practice ended about four decades ago. In 2023, the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) approached the Alangad panchayat to revive sugarcane cultivation. The KVK introduced a high-yielding, disease-resistant variety of sugarcane from the Coimbatore Sugarcane Breeding Institute, and the Alangad Cooperative Society took up the initiative. Cultivation began in January 2023, and by 2024, a jaggery-making plant was set up on the society’s premises. The plant currently produces 500 kg of jaggery daily, with plans to raise production to 1,500 kg.
“Twenty-four farmers are growing sugarcane on 15 acres, and the society itself has planted three acres,” Davis said. “Once cultivation expands to 25 acres, we will be able to increase production by the next Onam season. The fertile soil, enriched over centuries by deposits from the Periyar, also helps ensure high-quality cane with low salt content.”
He added that the society is receiving enquiries from across the state despite the high price. “Farmers are being supported with seeds, fertilisers, and interest-free loans through the bank,” Davis said.
Local farmers say the crop is proving attractive compared to paddy. “The cost of growing sugarcane is much lower than paddy, and the bank has offered ₹8 per kg for sugarcane,” said one farmer. “We have not yet harvested, but I’m confident it will be profitable.”
Varghese, another farmer, recalled the area’s past. “In my childhood, this entire region was under sugarcane cultivation,” he said. “We stopped paddy farming four years ago, and the land was lying unused. With support from the bank, I decided to try sugarcane again. Now more farmers are joining in.”
KVK programme coordinator and scientist Shinoj Subramanian said the initiative was part of efforts to improve farmers’ livelihoods. “Many farmers had stopped paddy cultivation because of losses. We encouraged them to try sugarcane as part of crop diversification,” he said. “There is strong demand for Alangad jaggery because it is free from adulteration.”
Alangad Jaggery in Numbers
Current production: 500 kg per day
Current area under sugarcane: 15 acres
Price offered to farmers: ₹8 per kg of sugarcane
Price of Alangad jaggery: ₹200 per kg (compared to ₹60–₹70 for other jaggery)
Plans by the Cooperative Society
Expand cultivation to 25 acres by November 2025
Raise production to 1,500 kg per day by August 2026
