Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

State needs high-yielding sugarcane: Commissioner

Staff Reporter

Scientists and officials meet at TNAU to discuss production issues

Coimbatore: Sugarcane varieties with high levels of sugar and fibre content should be popularised in Tamil Nadu, Sandeep Saxena, Commissioner of Sugar, said here on Monday.

"Tamil Nadu has pride of place regarding sugarcane because in productivity it is No. 1, though not in the area under production. Sugarcane is a very important crop because all its parts are used in some way," he said, observing that the juice could be turned into sugar, fibre into bagasse, molasses into chemicals and waste into bio fertilizer.

He was speaking at the fourth Sugarcane Interactive Meet organised at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) by the TNAU Sugarcane Breeding Station, Cuddalore.

Composite sugar mills needed cane that was high in fibre content and which could also provide high levels of ethanol. Scientists coming up with proposals regarding cane should do a cost-benefit analysis, mention the probable outcome of the project and determine the time required to complete all the work.

Variation

Pointing out that there was a "wide variation" in sugarcane yield from one location to another, he noted that it could be the result of lab-to-field extension service being "weak." In places where the yield was low, there should be studies to find out why this was happening.

Mr. Saxena said that cane farmers would get better yields if experts carried out soil mapping in areas where the crop was cultivated. This should cover the type of soil, irrigation requirements and potential for ground water. Tamil Nadu could be classified into various zones for growing specific varieties. Just because a particular variety was successful at a given location, did not mean that it would be successful elsewhere.

Instead of losing faith in the Government and the recommendations made by scientists, sugarcane farmers should be ready to adopt suggestions and try out new varieties in their fields. Demonstration plots in average areas of cultivable land would convince cultivators that they would be successful in adopting recommended varieties.

"If we increase the yield, we are also saving water. We must popularise drip irrigation, though the initial cost could be high. We are discussing with the Government about the possibility of higher subsidy," he said.

N. Vijayan Nair, Director, Sugarcane Breeding Institute, said most of the sugar produced by India was consumed within the country, with less than one million tonnes exported.

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