NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, announced the establishment of a dedicated team within the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) focused on sugarcane research and policy making in the country.
“This special team will concentrate on sugarcane research and related policies,” said Chouhan.
He noted that sugarcane variety 238 has demonstrated good sugar content but is susceptible to red rot disease. Chouhan emphasized the necessity of simultaneously developing alternatives.
“Controlling diseases is a significant challenge since new varieties often introduce new disease risks,” he stated. He also highlighted the issues related to monocropping and suggested transitioning to intercropping.
“Monocropping leads to multiple problems, including nutrient depletion and limitations in nitrogen fixation. We need to carefully assess the possibility of replacing monocropping with intercropping,” Chouhan pointed out.
"We are aware of the challenges," Chouhan acknowledged. "We must concentrate on increasing production and mechanization, reducing costs, and improving sugar recovery. Water use is a serious concern. Under the principle of ‘per drop, more crop,’ we need strategies to reduce water requirements. At the same time, we must also consider the financial burden on farmers, as drip irrigation can involve significant costs."
The Minister also stressed the importance of bioproducts and emphasized the need for developing new products to enhance farmers' income. “Ethanol and molasses have well-established uses; however, new value-added products must be developed to increase farmers’ profits,” said Chouhan.
ICAR Director General and DARE Secretary Dr M L Jat outlined four key research areas that need to be addressed: defining research priorities, identifying developmental challenges to advance research, tackling industry-related issues, and recommending policy steps to support the sector.
“Sugarcane requires high amounts of water and fertilizer. To address water scarcity, several studies have been conducted, and micro-irrigation practices—such as those adopted in Maharashtra—offer promising solutions. Current fertilizer usage is inefficient, and improving fertilizer efficiency is essential,” Jat noted.
The Minister made this announcement during a national discussion on the sugarcane economy, organized by Rural Voice and the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories in collaboration with ICAR.