May Day appeal: Sugarcane juice sellers urge youth to turn to cultivation and small business amid rising unemployment in Assam

Amid rising unemployment and changing climate conditions, indigenous sugarcane juice sellers in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district on International Workers Day (May Day 2026) have called on the younger generation to take up sugarcane cultivation and related small businesses as a sustainable livelihood option.

Ranjit Moran, a resident of Kakopathar’s Hatigarh village who runs a roadside sugarcane juice stall along NH-37 in Doomdooma, said that traditional dependence on government jobs is becoming increasingly uncertain.

 “The younger generation must explore self-employment. Sugarcane cultivation and juice business can provide steady income and support families, especially when job opportunities are shrinking,” he said.

Moran, who earlier worked as an autorickshaw driver, shifted to the juice business after facing stiff competition from newly introduced e-rickshaws. Encouraged by friends, he invested in a machine and began operations.

 “Now, with the help of a co-worker, we sell around Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 daily, and the income is enough to sustain our household,” he added.

However, he highlighted challenges in sourcing raw materials. Earlier dependent on nearby Phillobari, Moran now procures sugarcane from distant areas like Hahkhati and may soon rely on Bordumsa due to limited local cultivation. 

He emphasized that sugarcane farming could yield higher returns than tea in some cases and urged farmers to utilize unused land.

With rising temperatures and increasing demand for refreshing beverages, vendors say climate change is indirectly boosting the sugarcane juice market. Moran described this as an emerging opportunity even amid environmental challenges.
 

His May Day appeal reflects a growing grassroots push for entrepreneurship and agricultural diversification in Assam.