Earlier this year I cultivated onions and incurred a 50,000 rupees loss as prices crashed,” said Wagh, who plants 1.5 acres (0.6 hectares) of sugar cane. Environmental activists and the government blamed the rapid expansion of sugar cane growing for creating the water scarcity. “The government asks farmers to shift to less water consuming crops, but it does little to support those crops. “Green gram prices were trading below support prices due to higher production. Sugar cane’s sturdiness also attracts farmers because of limited access to insurance that protects against crop failures.

Source: Hindustan Times October 19, 2016 09:56 UTC