Sugarcane farmers in Viluppuram have raised concerns about increasing cultivation costs, lower returns and delays in payments from private sugar mills. Farmers reported that higher expenses for fertilisers and labour have increased pressure on their incomes.
The district has historically been an important sugarcane-producing region and is described by the district administration as the “sugar bowl of Tamil Nadu.” Sugarcane produced in Viluppuram supplies mills within the district as well as mills in neighbouring districts. Recent reporting has highlighted concerns among growers about the long-term viability of sugarcane cultivation