Chapter - III

PRODUCTION PROCESS OF JAGGERY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter intends to present all the stages of sugarcane cultivation which
has a direct bearing on the production of jaggery. It attempts to analyse and compare
the entire process of jaggery production in all the three jaggery areas of study. Among
major sugarcane growing countries in the world, India, the native of sugarcane, stands
second in the cane production and contributes more than 20 per cent of the worlds
sugar output. Although a large area is under production of this crop, the productivity
in general is quite low. It occupies the ninth position in the world map.

After textiles, sugar Industry occupies the second position in India. Sugarcane
production has steadily increased because of availability of high yielding hybrids,
increase in irrigation facilities, better fertilisers and improvement in ratoon
management. The experiments conducted reveals that the yields obtained in the all
India sugarcane crop competition have been still higher. This shows that there is
considerable untapped potential even at the current level of advancement and
technology. Thus, it gives scope for further research to strengthen and boost up the
productivity of sugarcane.

3.2 Production and productivity trends of sugarcane in India

Table 3.1 shows the area, production and productivity trends of sugarcane in
India in the post-independence period.
Table 3.1
Area, production and productivity of sugarcane in India
Area Production Productivity
Years
(lakh/ha) (lakh/tonnes) (tonnes/ha)
1950-51 17.1 692.2 40.5
1951-52 19.4 747.6 38.5
1952-53 17.3 618.6 35.8
1953-54 14.1 538.5 38.3
1954-55 16.2 705.5 43.5
1955-56 18.5 726.6 39.3
1956-57 20.5 838.6 40.5
1957-58 20.7 836.5 40.3
1958-59 19.5 861.5 44.2
1959-60 21.4 913.9 42.7
1960-61 24.1 1105.4 45.7
1961-62 24.6 1072.3 42.3
1962-63 22.4 919.1 41.0
1963-64 22.5 1042.2 46.4
1964-65 26.0 ^1220.7 46.7
1965-66 28.4 1239.9 43.7
1966-67 23.0 928.3 40.3

28
 1967-68 20.5 955.0 46.6
1968-69 24.6 1179.5 47.8
1969-70 27.5 1350.2 49.1
1970-71 26.2 1263.7 48.3
1971-72 23.9 1135.7 47.5
1972-73 24.5 1248.7 50.9
1973-74 27.5 1408.0 51.2
1974-75 28.9 1442.9 49.9
1975-76 27.6 1406.0 50.9
1976-77 28.7 1530.1 53.4
1977-78 31.5 1769.6 56.2
1978-79 30.9 1516.6 49.1
1979-80 26.1 1288.3 49.4
1980-81 26.7 1542.5 57.8
1981-82 32.0 1863.6 58.4
1982-83 33.6 1895.1 56.4
1983-84 31.1 1740.8 56.0
1984-85 29.5 1703.2 ' 57.7
1985-86 28.6 1706.5 59.9
1986-87 30.7 1860.6 60.4
1987-88 32.9 1967.2 69.8
1988-89 33.0 2030.3 61.0
1989-90 34.5 2226.0 65.4
1990-91 36.9 2410.5 65.3
1991-92 38.4 2540.0 66.0
1992-93 35.7 2280.3 63.8
1993-94 34.2 2296.6 67.1
1994-95 38.7 2755.4 71.2
1995-96 41.5 2811.0 67.7
1996-97 41.7 2775.6 66.4
1997-98 39.3 2795.4 71.1
1998-99 40.5 2887.2 71.2
1999-2000 42.2 2993.2 70.9
2000-01 43.2 2959.6 68.5
2001-02 44.1 2972.1 67.3
2002-03 45.2 2873.8 63.5
2003-04 39.3 2338.6 59.3
2004-05 36.6 2370.8 64.7
2005-06 42.0 2811.7 66.9
2006-07* 48.3 3229.4 66.8
* Advance Estimates as on 04.04.2007
Note : The yield rates given above have been worked out on the basis of production
& area figures taken in '000 units.
Source: Cooperative Sugar

Also great variations existed between states in terms of sugarcane production

as shown in table 3.2.

29
 Table 3.2
State-wise average of area, production, productivity and sugar recovery of
sugarcane in sub-tropical and tropical in India (1992-93)
Sub-tropical________ _________ '___________________ ____________
Area Production Productivity Sugar
State
(lakh/ha) (lakh/tonnes) (tonnes/ha) Recovery (%)
Assam 0.40 15.48 38.8 8.10
Bihar 1.33 60.31 45.4 8.99
Haryana 1.34. 65.50 48.9 9.77
Madhya Pradesh 0.52 17.39 33.4 9.78
Punjab 1.12 63.69 50.7 9.13
Rajasthan 0.24 11.29 46.5 9.24
Uttar Pradesh 16.57 1029.42 55.4 9.05
West Bengal 0.15 3.39 57.7 5.76
Average for zone 53.4 8.53
Tropical
Sugar
Area Production Productivity
Recover (%)
State (lakh / ha (lakh / tones) (tones / ha)
(1992-93)
Andhra Pradesh 1.71 123.50 72.1 9.99
Gujarat. 1.27 108.72 85.5 10.96
Karnataka 2.51 215.98 86.0 10.38
Kerala- 0.08 5.20 69.3 8.92
Maharashtra 4.04 308.53 76.4 10.71
Orissa 0.43 27.45 64.6 9.17
Tamil Nadu 2.31 240.25 104.0 9.37
Average for zone 80.5 9.52
Average for India 63.8 9.89
Source: National Agricultural Commission, 1993
(Recent data is not available)

In addition to the variations in yield and recovery of sugarcane, there were

large differences in utilisation of sugarcane among states ranging from Haryana where
less than 25 per cent was supplied to the mills and more than 80 per cent was supplied
in Maharastra. In the sub-tropical belt, a large proportion of sugarcane was used for
gur and khandsari making, whereas in the tropical belt, like Maharastra, farmers
supplied most of their cane to sugar factories. However, in general the sugarcane used
for different purposes remained fairly constant at 40 to 45 per cent. It must be noted
that a mere 4 per cent swing to sugar factories means a diversion of about 5.5 million
tonnes of sugarcane resulting into production of about 5 lakh tonnes of extra sugar.

The productivity and trends in sugarcane was characterised by full motions and
instability in area in use. The variations or fluctuations as the average percentage
achieved and projected during the successive five years plans is represented in table
3.3

30
 Table 3.3
Trends(of sugarcan^area production and productivity during
Five years plan in India

Average Average Average

Five year plan Area production productivity
(lakh/ha) (lakh/tonnes) (tonnes/ha)
1951-52 to 1955-56 17.1 667.1 39.1
1st plan
1956-57 to 1960-61 21.4 991.2 42.7
2nd plan (25.3) (36.5) (9.2)
1961-62 to 1965-66 24.8 1098.9 44.0
3rd plan (15.6) (20.6) (3.0)
1966-67 to 1968-69 22.7 1020.9 .. 44.9
plan gap
1969-70 to 1^73-74 25.9 1281.3 49.4
4th plan (4.6) (16.6) (12.3)
1974-75 to 1979-80 29.0 1492.3 51.5
5th plan (11.7) : (16.5) (4.2)
1980-81 to 1984-85 30.6 1749.0 57.3
6th plan (5.6) (17.2) (11-3) .
1985-86 to 1989-90 30.7* 1844.8* 60.0*
7th plan (0.6)* (5.5)* (4.7)*

Target growth rate during the 3.5

8th plan
Target growth rate during the 4.0
9th plan
Target growth rate during the 6.16
10th plan
Target growth rate during the 6.07
11th plan
Estimated on three years data (1985-88)
Source: 9th Five Year Plan (Vol-1), (Vol-2), 10th and 11 five year plan Objectives, strategy and
perspective of development.
Note:. Figures in parentheses are percentage increase over the previous plan.

The above table highlights the fact that the average productivity had been
continuously rising during the successive five year plans. It had increased from 39
tonnes per hectare in the first plan to 60 tonnes per hectare during first three years of
the seventh five year plan. However, the productivity was not uniform even though
approximately, it was losing at the rate of 0.72 tonnes per hectare per year.

Rapid increase in the production of sugarcane during different plan periods

had been achieved mainly due to large area under the crop. But productivity remained
relatively less and its growth during the plan period had been slow and erratic.

The sugarcane growing areas of the country can be divided into high medium
and low productivity areas based on average productivity for the last ten years i.e.
(1965-66 to 1975-76) (table 3.4)

31
 Table 3.4
High, medium and low productivity areas of sugarcane based on the average
productivity of 10 years from 1965-66 to 1975-76

Area
High Medium Low
under Produ Produ Produ
(above (50 to 701 (below
Sugar ctivity ctivity ctivity
70 t/ha) /ha) 50t/ha)
cane (t / ha) (t/ha) (t / ha)
State State State
(000 ha)
More Tamil Nadu 101.2 Punjab 63.1 Bihar 43.7
than Maharastra 88.8 U. P. 55.3
100 Gujarat 86.4 Haryana 53.6
Karnataka 80.2
Andhra 71.6
Pradesh
50 -100 Orissa 70.0 Madhya 34.4
Pradesh
West 68.0 Rajasthan 45.9
Bengal
Kerala 66.1 Assam 43.0
50-10 Pondicherry 92.6
Source:- National Agricultural Commission, 1976
(Recent data is not available)

It is made clear from the above table that productivity of 70 tonnes per hectare
and above was considered high and it includes Tamil Nafdu,! Maharastra, Karnataka
and Andhra Pradesh. Areas of medium productivity (5,0-70 t/ha) are Gujarat, Punjab,
Orissa, West Bengal , and Kerala while Uttar Pradesh,; Haryana, Bihar, Assam,
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh comes under low productivity i.e. below 50: tonnes per
hectare. !

There is a prospective growth potential of sugarcane in leading states of Uttar

Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharastra. There are constraints involved in bridging
the gap between the actual and feasible yield potential This is presented in the table
3.5 below.
Table 3.5
Average productivity and potential productivity of sugarcane (1989-90)

Achievable
Present productivity Gap
State Productivity
(tones/ha) (tones/ha)
(tones/ha)
Haryana 53.6 66.70 i 13.10
Punjab 63.1 82.50 19.4
Uttar Pradesh 55.3 82.30 17.0
Andhra Pradesh 71.1 97.5,0 16.4
Karnataka 80.5 94.00 13.5
Maharashtra 88.8 104.69 15.69
Tamil Nadu 101.2 103.00 1.88
Source: Government of India, National Demonstrations on sugarcane, 1990
(Recent data is not available)

32
 The above information on yield potential and present yield was the course of
survey conducted by the directorate of sugarcane development, Government of India
through centrally sponsored scheme including national demonstrations on sugarcane.
In terms of cane production, it was noteworthy that Uttar Pradesh occupies for over
40 per cent of the countrys total cane production but from the 50 per cent of area
under sugarcane, followed by Maharastra which contributed to about 15 per cent of
total cane production but from only 10 per cent.

3.3 Cultivation of sugarcane

Sugarcane cultivation undergoes various stages which are classified into three
main parts i.e.

1. pre-cultivation

2. plantation of sugarcane and

3. inter culture of sugarcane

These stages are elaborated and analyzed as under:

The first stage - Preparation of land: Land preparation is essential before the
plantation of sugarcane. This stage includes steps like -Ploughing,.making big clods
into pieces i.e. harrowing, making ridges and furrows etc.

These are made to loosen the suit and separate the porlides without destroying
its structure. This will help moisture and air to freely penetrate to full cultivation
(cultivable land) to assume favourable conditions for the initial root development.
Firstly, ploughing is done mostly in November or mid-November. The land is kept
open so that it becomes dry. Secondly. ploughing_breaks the soil clods and harrowing
clods. The manures are mixed with soil at the time of harrowing. Ttielanci is leaved
up by collecting the residues of the previous crop and weeds. Further ridges furrows
and prepared simultaneously either by using bullock carts or tractors for convenience,
the furrows are made of equal level and possibly longer in length.1 In this way, the
first stage of sugarcane cultivation is done.

The second stage - plantation of sugarcane: There are two types of sugarcane
plantation one is wet plantation and other is dry plantation. The wet plantation is
carried in the light and medium type of soil. The water is flooded in furrows and then
cane sticks are pressed in the soil about 3 to 6 cms. Keeping buds on one side. This
method of plantation is carried generally all over the selected areas under study except
few; the reason is due to changes in the nature of soil.

The dry plantation is done in fertile black soil. The cane sticks are pressed in
dry soil. The buds are kept on open side covered with soil and than watered. This
method is adopted by those farmers whose land is wet or on the banks of the river.
The selection of appropriate sugarcane seed is as important as the method of

33
 sugarcane plantation. Hence it is important to choose proper seed for plantation by
considering the fertility of land, availability of water topography, etc.1

There are number of cane varieties available, care must be taken to utilise
these appropriately. Promising sugarcane varieties identified for quality jaggery are:

For Kolhapur
Early varieties
Co 8014 (Mahalaxmi), Co C671 (Vasant), Co 7219 (sanjivani) Co 92005 (early
presented), Co 8014, CoC-671 and Co-86032, Co-86032 and Co-8011
Mid-late varieties
CoM 7125 (Sampada), Co 7527, CoM 88121 (Krishna), CoM 7714, Co 86032 (Nira),
CoM 0265 (Phule 265)

i (\
JFor Anakapalle
/ Early (10 months) - Co 6907, 84 A 125, 85 A 261, 81 A 99,93 A 145 and 87 A 298
^Mid-late (11 months) - Co T 8201 and CO A 7602
Late (12 months) - Co 7219 and Co 7706
Under water logged - Co 6907, Co 975, Co T 8201, Co 7219, Co A 7602 \j
Situation 2
Under rain fed - Co 6907, Co T 8201, Co 7219, Co A 7602 and 81A 99
(February planting)
1
tS'/

Under rain fed - Co 6907, 81A 99 and Co T 8201

(May-June planting) [m. / f yf Cs\M tn
Saline and alkali soils - 81 A 99, Co T 8201 and Co 7219

For Muzaffarnagar \f vO ^

Early varieties - CoS 96268, Cos 97258, CoS98247, CoSe 98231 and CoJ 64
Mid late varieties - CoS 767, CoS 91230, CoS 96275, CoSe 95422 and CoS 97264
Other varieties - CoS 94257, CoS 96268, CoS 96269, CoS 97264, CoS 92423, Co
Pant 84212, CoJ 64 , CoSe 00235 and CoSe 01235

Variety is the pivot around which production revolves. A suitable variety of,
sugarcane is the very base on which depends the prosperity of both the sugarcane i
growers and the sugar industry. Every year the existing and newly developed varieties
are examined in the context of their suitability and utility and a list of recommended
varieties is issued for commercial cultivation by different states.

1 Gavare S. H., Patil R.S. (1975), Inter cropping cereals in sugarcane. Golden Jubilee (1925-75)
Sugar Technologist Association of India, P A9-9

34
 Table 3.6
Recommended varieties for different states

Mid-season and late

State Early ripening
ripening
Uttar Pradesh Co 5687, Co S 8436 Co 1148, Co 5767,
Normal conditions Co J 64 CoS 802, CoS 7918
Co S 8439, Co S 87220
Co 1158, Co S 8408
Co S 8407, Co S 8432
Bo91,U.P. 12, CoS 8315
CoLK8001,CoS 85227
CoS 8016,CoS 8118
1 CoS 8119,U.P.-l
Water logging Bo91, CoS 767,
CoS 8118

Co S 837, Co S 7918
CoS 8119, Cos 8009.
vi Maharashtra Co 419, Co 775,
Co 7219 Co 740, Co 7219,
Co C 671 Co M 7125, Co 752
.&r Co C 671
v50 c Andhra Pradesh
Co 997, CO A 7701, Co 975, Co 4119,
Sv^ Co 6907, Co A 7601 Co 62175, Co A 7602
$ Co A 77-1, Co 7704
Co T 8201, Co A 8401
Co A 8402, Co 7219
CoS 014, Co7119
Co 8013, Co 7805 Co R 8001,
\J> -------- ' Adsali-Co 409,
Co 62175
Source: Agriculture Research Station, Anakapalle 2007

Different cane varieties are used by the farmers depending up to their income
and cost concern. Also whether sugarcane is used majorly for extraction of sugar or
jaggery affects the choice of cane varieties.

To achieve maximum production sugarcane seeds should have certain

(; characteristics like cane seeds must be 10 to 11 months old, full of juice, having green
. buds disease free, and thick stick and of sufficient length. Such free budded cane
seeds should be used for plantation. Before using these seeds, they are put into CaCo3
for 2 to 3 minutes in Argemol or Areton medicine having very little mercury, so that it
avoids danger and causes healthy ripening.

The third stage - inter culture of sugarcane: Along with the growth of sugarcane
the other unwanted plants also grow. These unwanted plants are called weeds. The
removal of these weeds is essential. This becomes useful to make cord free for
absorption of nutrients. Optimum utilisation of nutrient is possible when inter culture
is done properly. It increases the capacity of the soil; throughout the period of cane 3
to 5 weeding are required. Occasionally pesticides are also used for this purpose.
After 4 to 5 months period digging is done. The ridges are rearranged. This is done

35
 manually or with the help of bullock labour. Early 15 to 20 days watering is done.
This continues up to harvesting.

Along with the inter culture for the balanced growth of the sugarcane, supply of
required manures and fertilisers are essential without these manures and fertilisers the
soil alone is unable to provide all these nutrients sufficiently though the soil generally
is capable of natural regeneration so far as all essential plant nutrient requirement are
concerned.2 It indicates that the additional supply of nutrients is very essential. This
can be done by supplying manures and fertilisers to^sugarcane.
Sugarcanerenuires-t^nteHt^^flwat^r^throughirrigation^seh&mes'whichis

--^nRDMdJiLaigaroanBrTii some areas under study land under cultivation of sugarcane"

"are watered through lift irrigation schemes either by co-operative societies or by
private schemes. But the land which is away from river is lacking it.

Further portion of the chapter intends to elaborate on the aspects of production

process of jaggery. Also a comparative analysis made will help to identify the key
areas where improvement is required to increase jaggery production.

3.4 Production process of jaggery in Kolhapur, Anakapalle and Muzaffarnagar

Production process of jaggery in Kolhapur

This section deals with the stages in the entire process of jaggery production.
It begins from the stage of harvesting sugarcane and followed by several stages till the
time of getting the finished product (gur). There are four stages involved in the
production of jaggery viz, harvesting, extraction of juice, clarification of juice, and
solidification of juice into jaggery. The quality of jaggery and its recovery vary
widely from one place to another while jaggery manufactured at some places^ is
known for its better quality, higher recovery and good (6l5rability)k is not so at many
places. The cultivation practices, the variety of cane Jused, Hie juice clarification
technique equipments and processes contribute to quality and recovery aspects.
a- Ca
It is important to note the fact that even though Jaggery making starts with the
extraction of cane juice, it is necessary to cut and to bring the cane at the place of
jaggery making unit. Therefore sugarcane cutting and transportation are the two basic
steps before cane crushing. The other steps in jaggery making are as follows

1. Extraction of juice from sugarcane

This is done with the help of a cane crusher presently improved designs of
cane crushers are used which are by oil engine or electric motors. About 1.5 or 2
tonnes of sugarcane is required to make a single pan of jaggery. A pan of jaggery
requirement depends upon the quality of cane and its sucrose content.

2. Boiling of juice
Once the juice is extracted from the sugarcane it is taken for boiling. In all the
villages of Kolhapur district open pan method is used for jaggery making. Hence juice

2 Gavare S. H., Patil R.S. (1975), Inter cropping cereals in sugarcane, Golden Jubilee (1925-75)
Sugar Technologist, Association of India, P A9-2
is boiled in open pans. These pans are made up of iron sheets and are of 210 to 270
cms of diameter and about 45 cm deep. For better colour of jaggery even galvanized
iron pans or copper pans are used. After the juice is boiled, it is heated on the furnace.
Generally the baggasse is used as a fuel.

3. Purification of juice
The juice which is heated and boiled releases out many impurities that needs
to be removed. Thus purification of juice is the main deciding factor for colour,
texture, test and durability of jaggery. For purification of juice the most common
purificants are used like lime, sucrate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sujji,
super phosphate, alum, sodium hydrosulphate, etc. Generally bhendi (ladies finger) is
used along with other purificants while juice is boiled at low temperature. It helps to
bring the impurities scum to the surface of the pan. This scum is skimmed out and
thus the juice is purified.
42.

4. Concentration of juice \J^

Next step after purification of juice is concentration of juice which is boiled at
the striking point of temperature that normally ranges between ^T.8cjo ^23^ The
proper concentration of juice is judged by applying one of the following methods:

A small quantity of concentrated juice is taken from pan and is thrown into
cold water. If it takes the shape of a ball with the metallic sound it is
considered to be complete i.e. completion of the process of boiling of juice.

At the striking point, if the boiling mass is stirred, it does not stick the pan.

At the striking point the sticking mass forms a long silky thread which does
not fall in drops. Thus, by applying one of the above methods to find the
striking point or and appropriate point of concentration of juice, the pan is
then removed immediately from the furnace and is stirred for some time. The
boiled liquid jaggery (kakavi) is transferred into a cooling pan. As the
temperature falls, the jaggery begins to crystallize. By stirring the juice slowly
and intermittently to avoid the loss of granular structure, the semi solid mass is
then put into moulds when the jaggery solidifies it is removed by inverting the
moulds. These lumps or moulds are made to take the shape of a bucket of
different weights. These buckets are of 30 kg, 20, 19, 10, or 5 kg etc. these
buckets are of different size but uniform shape having different weights of
jaggery lumps. Even very small sizes of jaggery^ lumps is available in the
shape of small balls locally called modak or laddoes but are not very, famous
as other heavy weighing lumps or moulds.

Production process of jaggery in Anakapalle

A brief description of different stages of jaggery production in Anakaplle is as

follows:

1. Harvesting of sugarcane
The foremost stage includes cutting of sugarcane and preparing it for crushing,
harvesting of sugarcane is done by using manual labour. Billhooks are used for the
purpose of cutting sugarcane from the ground after seeing the size of its maturity

37
flowering is the sign of maturity of sugarcane, then follows stripping off the leaves
and removing the tops. Sugarcane cut close to the ground as the bottom most portions
is rich in sugar. Topping is done first above the highest colour point. The topped
portion with new nodes serves as seed material and the green tops are fed to the cattle.
The dry leaves are used for many purposes including fuel to boil the sugarcane. The
variety of sugarcane used play significant role in determining the quality of jaggery3.
Different sugarcane varieties are used in Anakapalle for the production of
jaggery. The following table gives elaborative information of sugarcane varieties
suitable for quality jaggery production.
Table 3.7
Sugarcane varieties suitable for jaggery production

Sucrose Total Jaggery Jaggery yield

Variety of
Percentage in Non-sugar Recovery (tones per
Sugarcane
Jaggery (percentage) (percentage) hectare)
Co 6907 84.75 5.70 11.64 10.48
81 A 99 84.25 4.63 11.42 12.86
84 A 125 84.78 4.98 11.52 12.64
83 A 30 85.25 4.63 13.13 10.90
CoT8201 84.34 4.71 12.84 11.08
Co A 7602 84.25 4.96 11.56 12.73
Co 7219 86.13 4.81 12.32 12.72
Co 7706 87.13 4.48 10.93 11.17
Co 62175 83.31 5.74 10.83 10.09
Note: Co 6907, 81 A 99, 84 A 125 and 83 A 30 are the early harvesting varieties which takes 10
months, Co T 8201 and Co A 7602 are the midlate varieties which are to be harvested after 11 months
and the others i.e. Co 7219, Co 7706, and Co 62175 are the late arrivals which are to be harvested after
12 months. ^ Wi f WsSr-

Source: Complied from the records of the Regional Agricultural research station, Anakaplle (1993)
" " ......... " ' ' ~~~ ' ' '

It is clear from the given table that the early harvesting varieties, 83 A 30 gave
highest yield of jaggery recovery at 13.13 per cent among the midlate arrivals Co T _
8201 gave high yield of jaggery at 12.84 per cent. Similarly, among the late arrivals
Co 7215 gives high yield of jaggery at 12.32 per cent. The sucrose percentage was ' ~:~
observed to be more in Co 7706 with 87.13 per cent followed by Co 72.19 variety
with 86.13 per cent and 83 A 30 variety with 85.25 per cent. However, the suitability
and the use of sugarcane varieties be judged by the jaggery producers whether to use
early harvesting variety midlate variety or late variety and also to choose best variety
among each category. This decision of jaggery producers is also affected by the
availability of irrigation facilities and quantity and quality of fertilisers used etc.

2. Extraction of juice
This is done by crushing sugarcane in roller crushers. Power driven and
bullock driven crushers are normally used. Power driven crushers are operated by
diesel or electric power. They are of three types viz, three roller horizontal crushers,
four rollers horizontal crushers and three roller vertical crusher, three roller vertical
crusher with recycling chute and three roller vertical crusher. Ampng the power
driven crushers, the three roller horizontal crusher gives the best performance of 65.36
9

3 Ramakrishna Rao. S On Making Good Quality Jaggery, op, cit

38
per cent. Among the bullock driven the four rollers vertical crusher gives the highest
juice extraction of 67.28 per cent4.

Hand operated crusher are used very rarely in jaggery manufacturing. Once
cleaning and dressing is done then sugarcane is fed into the crusher, opaque liquid is
obtained whose colour varies from grey to dark green. The sugarcane contains 84 per
cent juice and 16 per cent of fiber5.

3. Clarification of juice
The next step after extraction of juice is its clarification. It is an important
factor in maintaining quality and storability of jaggery. The main function of
clarification is to remove all objectionable non-sugar and colouring matters present in
the juice. This will help in proper crystallization and solidification of sugar and also
improve the colour of jaggery. Number of vegetables and chemical clarificants are
being used for the clarification of juice6.

The important vegetable clarificants are ideolo (hibiscus fair lenus) bhendi
(hibiscus ficulenus) sukhlai (kydia calvcina) bark of semel free (bomber mubarium)
bark of phelso free (arenia asiatica) aromelnut seed extract castor extract and soybean
extract etc. since the cost of the vegetables clarificants is high and their availability is
on limited scale most of the jaggery producers are using chemical clarificants such as
lime water, sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium sulphate, sodium bicarbonate,
super phosphate and sodium hydrogen sulphate (hydrose) etc.

A wide variety of furnaces and pans are used for this purpose. The average
time taken for boiling of 350-450 kg of juice is about two hours, after the furnace has
been heated to the required temperature. The sugarcane juice is filtered into the pan
and the clarifying agents are mixed when the temperature is ranges around 60 c. In
the mean while, the hay formed on surface of the juice and sides of the pan will be
removed by continuous stirring of juice and thus scum is removed.

4. Solidification of juice-
The next step after clarification is solidification. This stage involves vigorous
boiling and stirring of sugarcane juice to prevent caramelisation of sugar due to
continuous boiling the syrup thickens into semi-solid mass. After cooling, it gets
solidified into jaggery at the temperature level of 1140c-1180c, the striking point is
normally judged by the experienced jaggery producer. Sometimes, this strike point
delays due to poor quality of jaggery. For this purpose, the liquid jaggery is settled by
adding sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium hydroxide, sodium
hydrosulphate, powdered sugar, oil etc. The semi-solid mass of jaggery is constantly
stirred in a pan with a metallic spoon or wooden ladles. This involves danger of
frothing which can be resolved by sprinkling groundnut seeds or extract of a crushed
castor. Now the syrup starts achieving to the sides of the pan. Therefore, the sides of
the pan are kept clean. The syrup solidifies at the top of the pan. As the syrup

4 Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Progress Report, (1-10-1990 to 30-9-1992) Lucknow,

February, 1993
5 Mohan Naidu, K, and Asokan, S. Problems in quality of jaggery making and needed research in
manufacturing and storing jaggery, Op-cit.
6 Ramakrishna Rao. C, On making good quality jaggery, op-cit

39
gradually goes down due to evaporation, the syrup solidifies A grass brush is used to
wipe off the mass to prevent it from burning or earamelisation. The semi-solid mass is
then transferred to wooden troughs or mould of suitable shapes. The most popular
shapes in Anakaplle are bucket shape (Dimma), rectangular blocks or slabs, balls etc.
The filled in moulds are cooled overnight and the hardened jaggery is picked out early
in the morning.

Production process of jaggery in Muzaffarnagar

Sugarcane is cultivated in an area of about 1.56 million hectares in U.P., which

accounts for about 52.27per cent of area under this crop in the country7. Average
production of sugarcane during (1975-76 to 1985-86) in U.P. was 68.32 million tons
which are about 42.17per cent of sugarcane production in India8. About 62.9 per cent
of sugarcane produced in the state was used for gur and khandsari as against 51.85 per
cent at the national level. The U.P. produces about 3.87 million tones of gur and
khandsari which is about 46.57per cent of the total production of commodity in
India9.

Gur is produced in almost all the districts of U.P. excepting those of hill
region. Analysis made of the past decades revealed the fact that Meerut division
comprising of five districts accounted for about two-third of gur that arrived in
market. Moradabad, Bijnor, Pilibhit, Shajahanpur, Nanital, and Aligarh were also
important gur producing districts. Major Gur producing areas where more than 10,000
tonnes of gur .arrived in the district markets were Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut,
Ghaziabad and Bijnor.
Gur manufacture in the state varied widely from one district to another and in
some cases within the district also. Various furnaces of one to four pans having
boiling capacity were used. The basic manufacturing process goes as follows:

1. Extraction of juice
Three roller vertical cane crusher is used to extract juice for jaggery
production. The crusher extracts about 60 per cent of juice under dry crushing and
therefore 20 per cent juice goes waste in bagasse. It is powered by an electric motor
and generally accept 5to 6 cane at a time. The extracted juice is collected in a
mansory tank or self dug pots in which silt settle down.

2. Juice boiling
Next stage after extraction is juice boiling. It is an important step in the
processing of cane for jaggery manufacture. The open triple pan furnace is used in
this region. It is single grate type furnace using bagasse as a fuel. No supplementary
fuel or crop residue is required. The overall over-utilization or efficiency of the
furnace seems to be very low.

3. Clarification of juice
In general, the jaggery quality, storability and acceptability depends on the
extent of juice clarified during boiling, Out of serious vegetative clarificants musk

7 Anon, 1985, Estimates of area and production of sugarcane in India, Indian sugar 16(10) : pp. 667
8 Anon, 1985, State wise estimates of sugarcane production in India. Indian sugar 16 (10): pp. 668
9 Anon, 1980, Sate wise estimates of production of gur and khandsari in India, Co-operative sugar
directory and year book. National Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factories Ltd., New Delhi, p. 553

40
Dana or sukhlai (kydia calycine) and bhendi (hibiscus esculents) are commonly used
gajwan (dry leaf) is also reported to be in use. Chemical clarificants like hydrose
(sodium hydrosulphate) is also used along with vegetative clarificants.

4. Juice concentration
This step is involved in the process of boiling is intermittently removed. Juice
is boiled briskly with the object of evaporating the water. In the process of
concentrating the juice mustard oil is added to prevent excessive frothing.

5. Cooling and moulding

As soon as the juice is concentrated to a desired level which is judge by an
experienced jaggery producer, the content are transferred to a wooden / masonry tray
of either circular or rectangular shape. This tray serves both the purpose of cooling
and moulding. Hot syrup is worked out for some time after that it is left to solidify,
Generally, irregular shape known as Khurpa as well as cake shape of about 2kg of
jaggery are manufactured. No standard shape and size is maintained colour of jaggery
is dark brownish having fair texture. Gur is manufactured in many shapes and sizes
and some of the common shape of gur manufactured are listed below:

Laddu (bheti) - Small spherical / semi-spherical lumps weighting 50 to 250

grams.
Dhayya (bheti) - semi-spherical lumps weighting 2 to 3 kg
Pari - semi spherical lumps weighting 1 to 2 kg
Chaukhanta - Trapezodial lump weighting 4 to 5 kg
Pansera - Semi-spherical lumps weighting 5 to 6 kg.
Dhansera - Semi-spherical lumps weighting 9 to 10 kg.
Balti - Tapered cylindrical lumps weighting 10 to 20 kg
Chaku - Trapezodial lump weighting 10 to 20 kg
Khurpa pad - Small trapezoidal slabs weighting 250 to 500 grams

After manufacture, gur is either transported to the market or kept in the house
by the fanners, part of gur is stored by the farmers for their domestic consumption and
the rest is sold in the market when prices are attractive. Generally, the gur is sold
before monsoon season.

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