Why Farmers In This Karnataka Village Harvest Sugarcane During Ganesh Chaturthi

People will soon celebrate the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi which marks the birth anniversary of the Lord Ganesh. According to Local 18 Kannada, for this festival, the farmers of Balkunje, a village in Karnataka are aiming to sell four and a half lakh sugarcanes. This village is situated in Mulki Taluk, Dakshina Kannada District.

The produce in the Balkunje village will be sold to not only the Dakshina Kannada but also the Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru areas. More than 35 farmers cultivate sugarcane in the Balkunje village and are now harvesting the produce as well. This produce is not only sold for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival but also for the Honey Feast of the Saviour Day.

This time the rains have been more frequent and the sugarcane cultivators are facing financial difficulties. Their production has dwindled due to the heavy wind and rain. This time, Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on September 7, and the next day is the Honey Feast of the Saviour Day. The soil present in the Balkunje village is good for cultivating the sugarcane crops. Using burnt soil and starch without applying chemical fertilisers produces good crops and the sugarcane is palatable (with an agreeable or pleasant taste).

Sugarcane’s rate

This time, the Dasa variety of sugarcane is being sold at Rs 35 and black sugarcane will be sold at Rs 30. The sugarcane is cut and sold in bundles of 12 canes. A farmer in the Balkunje village sows sugarcane seeds in November and December. Then he harvests the produce in August and September during the Chaturthi festival. Traders pay advance money and book the sugarcane produce harvested in Balkunje in June. In the Local 18 Kannada visual, the farmers in Balkunje village can be seen cutting the sugarcanes at massive heights.

More about Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is known as Ganeshotsav, Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayagar Chaturthi. The celebrations during this festival last for 10 days and are marked throughout the country. The large-scale celebrations occur in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka, especially in cities like Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad.