The air around Savgaon village of Belagavi taluk is filled with sweet smell, an indication of the presence of a ghana — the local name for the traditional gur or jaggery-making unit.
A farmer, Balu D. Mungle, who operates the ghana, is pleased to give his visitors a sweet treat that includes fresh sugarcane juice and fresh gur-cream.
Balu Mungle is a traditional jaggery-maker. This year, he has grown sugarcane in nearly four acres of land that will get transformed into gur. He finds gur-making a better option instead of supplying his sugarcane to sugar factories and wait for payment for several months and years and be at their mercy.
Also, the un-remunerative prices for sugarcane offered by sugar mills have been a discouraging factor not only for Balu Mungle but also for several other farmers. However, not many set up a ghana, as it requires Rs. 1 lakh for a new unit.
The gur-making process commences with the cutting of sugarcane, followed by extraction of sugarcane juice, boiling the extracted juice in a large iron pan, its purification, again boiling, then concentration of such boiled juice and finally, forming lumps in moulds, usually bucket that come in different sizes.
Normally, about a quintal of gur is produced from one tonne of sugarcane. The cost involved is mainly on labour, diesel and electricity for the crusher, ingredients used as preservatives and to enhance colour and texture, and transportation to the market. The dry husk of the sugarcane (what remains of sugarcane after the juice is extracted) is used as fuel for heating/boiling the juice.
But, the main problem gur-makers face is exploitation by middlemen in the markets who, it is said, bring down procurement prices. It is also said that middlemen hoard and release gur when the prices go up.
“So, I have decided to store gur myself and wait till the prices go up, at least up to Rs. 3,000 per quintal, as the prevailing prices range from Rs. 2,200 to Rs. 2,500 per quintal,” Balu Mungle said.
Farmer Balu
Mungle operates
a ghana and markets gur on
his own
