Sangvi village, Nanded: In sugarcane belt of Marathwada, there's hardly any cane this time around. The reason: two years of drought.
Even well-off farmers with access to irrigation have shied away from planting this water intensive crop, the result could be a further fall in sugar production.
In Marathwada, the epicentre of the drought in Maharashtra, the lush field belongs to Jagdevrao Patil, a farmer who became rich growing sugarcane.
And has stayed rich because he shifted from it to growing bananas and cotton in the past two years.
"Over the last two years I have lost money growing sugarcane. When we had a bumper cane we were forced to burn it down," said J P Patil, farmer.
This is cane country, over 30 per cent of the sugar produced in Maharashtra comes from this region.
But sugarcane is losing its sweetness for farmers here. The reasons: Lack of water, low returns on cane since two years and the closure of sugar mills like jai Ambika.
The sugar mill belongs to Gangadhar Rao Kunturkar, an NCP leader, a former MP and an MLA. Its been shut since last year, a casualty of the drought and falling cane production.
"Sugar prices have touched 30 rupees a kilo. So cane farmers are demanding 2,000 rupees per tonne to lift and crush cane," said Gangadhar Rao Kunturkar, NCP leader.
Money that mills like Jai Ambika do not have. So, for you and me the consumer, sugar at least this festival season will tasteless sweetener.