Question

State any three problems faced by sugarcane cultivators.

Answer 1

1. Sugarcane is a soil exhausting crop, and therefore the cost of fertilisers increases the cost of production.
2. The farms are far from the mills, and a delay of more than 24 hours between harvesting and crushing reduces the sugar content.
3. The cost of transport increases the cost of production.
4. The crop is an annual crop and therefore, the farmers are unable to cultivate any other crop, thereby, limiting their income.
5. It requires a high input of irrigation means.
6. The price is fixed by the government, which is most of the time not profitable for the farmers.