Kalahandi, June 18 (UDN): Jaggery production in the riverbank areas of Kalahandi district continues to remain a key pillar of the rural economy, supporting thousands of farming families across Dharmagarh sub-division and nearby blocks including Junagarh, Kokasara, Kalampur and Jayapatna.
Farmers in the region are engaged in large-scale sugarcane cultivation and traditional jaggery (gur) production, which includes solid blocks, soft varieties, liquid jaggery and country-made forms widely used in households, tea stalls and traditional food preparation. With increasing health awareness, demand for jaggery as a natural alternative to refined sugar is also rising steadily.
Despite strong production and growing demand, the sector remains largely unorganised. Farmers report that the absence of regulated mandis, storage facilities, branding support and processing units is limiting their income potential. As a result, most producers are forced to sell jaggery at the farmgate to traders at relatively low prices.
Currently, jaggery is being sold at approximately ₹60–₹70 per kg at the production level. However, farmers estimate that one hectare of sugarcane cultivation can generate jaggery worth up to ₹4.5 lakh, indicating significant untapped economic potential in the sector.
A major concern highlighted by farmers is the role of middlemen. Traders, including those from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, procure jaggery directly from local producers in bulk and sell it in external markets at higher prices, limiting profit margins for local cultivators.
Stakeholders believe that the establishment of dedicated jaggery mandis, cold and dry storage facilities, and small-scale processing units could transform the sector. Such interventions are expected to improve price realization, strengthen rural incomes, and generate additional employment opportunities in the region.
At present, however, the jaggery economy of Kalahandi continues to function in an informal setup—rich in production potential but constrained by weak market infrastructure and limited institutional support
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