Punjab’s sugar mills are struggling with a serious shortage of sugarcane this crushing season, caused by an acute labour shortage, declining yields, and a shrinking area under cultivation. Industry officials report that the availability of migrant harvesters from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar—traditionally crucial for cane harvesting—has dropped by 35–40%, severely disrupting operations and reducing cane arrivals even during peak crushing months.
Unlike usual seasons, mills are running below capacity, with some expected to close three to four weeks earlier than normal. Once covering nearly 1 lakh hectares, the state’s cane area has now declined to 88,000–95,000 hectares, as farmers shift to alternative crops due to high input costs, uncertain labour, and delayed payments.
At Mukerian’s Indian Sucrose Mill, daily cane arrivals have dropped from the usual 700 trolleys to just 400–475 trolleys. Yield levels have also fallen sharply from 350 quintals per acre to 200–225 quintals, affected by poor ripening and excessive rains. Most mills across Punjab are expected to shut by February, months earlier than in previous years.
Mill managers cite multiple reasons for the labour shortage: Bihar elections, Aadhaar-related issues in villages, and migration of workers to other states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Panchayat restrictions on migrant settlements in some areas also discouraged workers from returning.
Even cooperative mills like Morinda report labour down by 30%, with yields dropping from 350–400 quintals per acre to 290–310. Mills have tried using mechanical harvesters, but high costs limit their adoption.
Experts warn that labour shortages, falling yields, and shrinking cane areas have combined to make this one of the toughest crushing seasons in recent memory. Farmers note that sugarcane remains eco-friendly, water-efficient, and income-generating, and urge the state government to promote expansion of cane cultivation to sustain the sector.
Punjab Cane Commissioner Dr. Amrik Singh confirmed that nearly all mills in the state are experiencing labour-related supply constraints this season, directly impacting crushing operations.
