On Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced that the Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) would double its subsidy from Rs 9,250 to Rs 18,250 per hectare for the 2025–26 crushing season. This subsidy increase will benefit 5,000 farmers who have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) in sugarcane cultivation. Pawar, who is a key member of VSI’s governing council, stated that the revised subsidy would be available on a first-come, first-served basis to the first 5,000 farmers across Maharashtra, regardless of whether they are part of cooperative or private sugar mills, reported The Times of India.
The announcement was made after a meeting of the VSI governing council, chaired by former Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. “If the number of applicants exceeds 5,000, we will approach the state government and discuss with the Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister whether the state policy can be amended to accommodate more farmers,” Pawar said.
He also added that while the subsidy scheme is only applicable for this year, the government may consider creating a new policy in the future based on demand. Additionally, VSI has decided to reduce the cost of sugarcane setts (saplings) to encourage more farmers. The price per sett will drop from Rs 3 to Rs 2, offering a subsidy of Rs 1 per sett. As one hectare typically requires 12,000 to 12,500 setts, the overall cost for farmers will now be reduced to approximately Rs 24,000 to Rs 25,000.
An institute official noted that the AI-based farming initiative, introduced last year, already has 847 registered farmers.
