In Pune district, the season has ended earlier than expected this year, prompting cane-cutting workers to begin their return journey as activity around mills slows down, Agrowon reported.

Every year, around 1.2 to 1.5 million sugarcane cutters from various parts of Maharashtra including Marathwada, Khandesh, and Vidarbha migrate to sugarcane growing regions of Maharashtra and neighbouring states like Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu for harvesting.

In Pune, out of the 15 sugar mills that started operations this season, as many as 14 have already shut down crushing, while the remaining unit is also expected to close in the next few days. The early closure has left mill areas largely deserted.

This season, nine cooperative and six private mills had begun crushing around four to four-and-a-half months ago. Initially, the season was expected to continue longer due to good cane availability. However, a decline in cane cultivation, increasing water scarcity and rising heat led to a sharp drop in supply, forcing mills to wind up operations early.

The shutdown began in phases from February 5. Mills such as Venkatesh Sugar in Shirur taluka and Neera-Bhima, Karmayogi Shankarrao Patil, Baramati Agro and Shrinath Mhaskoba in Indapur taluka concluded their crushing operations by March. At present, only a few mills, including Malegaon and Shri Sai Priya Sugars, are still operational, and they too are nearing closure.

The shortened season has hit cane-cutting workers the hardest. These workers, mostly from rural areas, usually get employment for five to six months. This year, however, the reduced duration has led to lower earnings, forcing many to return to their native places earlier than usual.

The slowdown has also affected local businesses that depend on the crushing season. Hotels, grocery shops and other small establishments near mills have seen a drop in activity, impacting the local economy.