TOBA TEK SINGH, Jan 7: Sugar cane growers who installed their own small units to prepare traditional sugar cakes (gur) to supplement their income are suffering losses.

A survey revealed that some 20 per cent growers in the district have set up their own gur-producing units.

At present, the gur is being sold at Rs400 per 40 kg in the district’s grain markets.

A farmer said he had not only desired to stock the gur for his family but also to sell the extra produce in the grain market. But he could sell gur for only Rs10 per kg.

A commission agent said that last year gur was sold at Rs700 to Rs800 per 40 kg. But this year, the wide gap between supply and demand had adversely affected its price.

Farmers complained that though millowners had started purchasing cane at Rs40 per 40 kg, the purchase centre staff were exploiting the situation by deducting sugar cane on the pretext of low quality.