It is winter and the time for jaggery production in western Uttar Pradesh. The state’s fertile plains contribute over 40 per cent of India’s sugar cane.
Sugar mills are located in the western part of the state, with districts like Lakhimpur Kheri and Bijnor being hubs.
Alongside sugar mills, western Uttar Pradesh also is home to a significant jaggery sector, with licensed as well as unlicensed crushers located in the region.
Jaggery units primarily operate during the sugarcane crushing season, which runs from October to February/early March, coinciding with winter. That is when sugarcane quality is best and demand for this traditional sweetener increases.