Lucknow: At a recent conference on “Business Models on Mitigating Challenges Before Sugar Industry,” Principal Secretary for Sugarcane Development, Veena Kumari, highlighted the need to boost sugarcane productivity as a foundation for strengthening the sugar sector. Speaking on Wednesday, Kumari said that adopting high-yield sugarcane varieties and better farm management practices—such as improved irrigation, maintaining soil health, and controlling pests—can increase output per hectare.
She emphasized that research and development (R&D) is crucial for the sugar industry’s long-term succes. She said sugar industry should invest in R&D and infact a research centre should be set up.
She emphasized that the goal is not just to produce more sugarcane, but to help farmers make better use of their land. This, she said, involves equipping them with knowledge of sustainable farming methods, ensuring access to quality fertilisers, and encouraging the use of machines to manage farms more efficiently.
Kumari also stressed the importance of diversifying beyond sugar production to make the industry more stable and future-ready. She pointed out that developing by-products such as ethanol, bio-based chemicals, jaggery, and molasses can open up new sources of income and reduce dependence on a single product. “By focusing on these alternatives, the sugar industry can also cater to the growing market for green products, biofuels, and health-conscious consumers,” she said.
Former Director of the National Sugarcane Institute, Narendra Mohan, also spoke at the event, highlighting the need to maintain a stable balance between sugar demand and supply. He was vocal towards being more standard through value addition and having diverse products to have extensive revenue streams. He also emphasized on having sugar that meets national & global standards, he also highlighted the need for integration of precision farming, introduction of AI and ML to enhance sugarcane productivity with minimum input cost.
Sameer Sinha, President of the Uttar Pradesh Sugar Mills Association, urged policymakers to reconsider the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of sugar to ensure the industry’s viability. He also discussed the need to improve soil health, encourage mechanisation, and adopt better farming techniques to increase sugarcane yield and profitability.
