CHANDIGARH: Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, announced the formation of a specialized team within the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
This dedicated unit will spearhead sugarcane research and shape a comprehensive national sugarcane policy, addressing longstanding challenges faced by farmers and the industry.The announcement came during a high-level national discussion on the “Sugarcane Economy,” hosted by Rural Voice magazine in partnership with the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF) and ICAR. The event, held under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav banner, brought together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to chart a sustainable path for one of India’s key cash crops, which supports millions of farmers across states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.Chouhan underscored the urgency of innovation amid evolving threats. He spotlighted the popular Co 238 sugarcane variety, which boasts high sugar content but is highly susceptible to red rot disease—a fungal menace that can devastate yields. “We cannot afford complacency,” the Minister asserted. “While advancing this variety, we must parallelly develop resilient alternatives. Disease control remains our Achilles’ heel; new breeds often invite unforeseen pests and pathogens.”The discussion delved into the pitfalls of monocropping, a dominant practice that depletes soil nutrients and hampers nitrogen fixation, leading to diminished productivity over time. Chouhan advocated for cautious exploration of intercropping—pairing sugarcane with complementary crops—to enhance biodiversity and soil health, but emphasized rigorous field trials to ensure viability.Prioritizing farmer-centric solutions, the Minister outlined a multi-pronged strategy: ramping up production through mechanization, slashing cultivation costs, and boosting sugar recovery rates. Water scarcity emerged as a pressing crisis, with sugarcane’s voracious thirst exacerbating groundwater depletion. Aligning with the government’s “Per Drop More Crop” initiative, Chouhan called for widespread adoption of micro-irrigation techniques like drip systems. However, he candidly addressed the economic hurdles: “Drip irrigation demands hefty upfront investments, placing a heavy burden on smallholders. We must devise subsidies and financing to make it accessible.”Diversification beyond traditional outputs like ethanol and molasses was another focal point. Chouhan envisioned a bio-economy boom, urging R&D into value-added bioproducts—such as biofuels, biochemicals, and even pharmaceuticals—to unlock new revenue streams and elevate farmer incomes. He also championed natural farming methods to curb reliance on chemical fertilizers, promoting eco-friendly practices that align with India’s sustainability goals.Payment delays from sugar mills—a chronic grievance—drew sharp attention. “Farmers’ woes are real and justified,” Chouhan said. “Mills grapple with liquidity issues, but delayed dues cripple rural economies. A balanced value chain demands timely settlements.” To tackle labor shortages plaguing harvesting, he proposed skilling programs, mechanized tools, and incentives to attract youth into agriculture.”I implore ICAR to swiftly assemble this expert team, zeroing in on ground-level realities,” Chouhan urged. “Research disconnected from farmers is futile—it must empower both growers and mills for shared prosperity.”ICAR Director General and Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Dr. M.L. Jat, echoed these sentiments, framing four pillars for future research: pinpointing priorities, dissecting developmental bottlenecks, resolving industry pain points, and crafting supportive policies. Sugarcane’s resource intensity—guzzling vast quantities of water and fertilizers—necessitates efficiency gains, he noted. Maharashtra’s micro-irrigation success stories offer a blueprint, while precision fertilizer application could slash waste by up to 30%.Dr. Jat advocated crop rotation with pulses and oilseeds to mitigate monocropping risks, potentially hiking farmer earnings by 20-25% through diversified yields. Dr. Devendra Kumar Yadav, ICAR’s Deputy Director General (Crop Science), dissected the Co 238 saga: its initial triumph fueled monoculture, but rigorous three-year trials for new varieties ensure robustness against pests and yield variability. “Yield gap analysis is key,” he added, promising to integrate seminar inputs into actionable reforms.Dr. Rajbir Singh, ICAR’s DDG (Extension), moderated a session, fostering vibrant debates on extension services to bridge lab-to-land gaps.
