An artificial intelligence-based project aimed at improving sugarcane productivity has been started at Ranjangaon in Dharashiv district by Natural Sugar and Allied Industries Ltd, reported The Hindu businessline.
The sugar factory, which has a crushing capacity of 5,000 tonnes per day, has been carrying out several new initiatives over the last 25 years to improve sugarcane production and raise standards in the sector.
Over the last three to four months, the AI-driven system has been introduced in Ranjangaon through a joint effort of KVK Baramati, the Vasantdada Sugar Institute, and the West Indian Sugar Mills Association (WIMA). A total of 753 farmers have joined the project, making Natural Sugar the first factory in Maharashtra to bring such a large number of farmers under a single initiative of this kind.
As part of the programme, 20 weather stations and 500 sensors are being installed through KVK Baramati, and the work is close to completion. The response and involvement of farmers in the project has been encouraging.
Farmer support
To strengthen the initiative, the factory has created a separate Sugarcane Development Department to provide regular training, field-level monitoring, and guidance to farmers. A special control room has also been set up to carry out the advice and directions given by KVK Baramati and the Vasantdada Sugar Institute.
Under the project, farmers will be given guidance on water use for sugarcane, balanced use of nutrients, suitable weather conditions for spraying, and other crop management practices based on data collected from weather instruments. As an added incentive, farmers who closely follow the recommendations and achieve high yields will be rewarded with first, second, and third prizes.
The project was formally launched on Sunday. On this occasion, a meeting was held to guide farmers from the factory area and those participating in the project, according to BB Thombre, Chairman and Managing Director of Natural Sugar and Allied Industries Ltd.
