Andhra Pradesh   

`Sweet alternative' impresses YSR

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, AUG. 3. Sweet sorghum is an ideal crop for non-irrigated dryland regions. One hectare of this crop produces 6,000 litres of ethanol compared to 4,600 litres from one hectare of sugarcane, but requires only 8000 cubic metres of water to mature while sugarcane needs 36,000 cubic metres of the "blue gold." Moreover, sweet sorghum matures in four months compared to 11 months needed by sugarcane and therefore allows the farmer to have two harvests in one year.

The ethanol production from sugarcane molasses is 20,000 lakh litres a year in the country but the demand is about 50,000 lakh litres providing a ready market for sweet sorghum farmers. It can also be used to produce beer, alcoholic spirits and glucose.

Providing these statistics to the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, during his visit to ICRISAT on Tuesday, the Special Project Scientist, B.V. Subba Reddy, said that sweet sorghum was an ideal alternative to sugarcane cultivation in the dryland regions like Telangana. Impressed by the qualities of this "sweet alternative" Dr. Reddy announced the Government's decision to popularise sweet sorghum among the State's farmers.

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