Pilibhit: Uttar Pradesh has launched a joint survey to identify disease and insect infestations in sugarcane fields across the state’s 45 cane-producing districts, following reports of outbreaks caused by recent floods and waterlogging, reports The Times of India.
The exercise, ordered by Cane Commissioner Ministhy S, will be carried out by scientists from the Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR) and the UP Council of Sugarcane Research (UPCSR), alongside district cane officers and deputy commissioners in all nine cane divisions.
Dr Sanjeev Pathak, senior scientist at UPCSR, said two scientists from each institute have been assigned to every division. “In waterlogged fields where access is difficult, we will manage chemical sprays using drones,” he said. Dr Pathak added that chemicals and pesticides would be provided to farmers through sugar mills and cane development societies at subsidies ranging from 25% to 50%.
The cane commissioner said sugarcane scientists would guide farmers on necessary chemical applications, while the state sugarcane department would prepare advisories based on their feedback.
“Regional officials have been instructed to keep drones and spray systems ready and ensure that essential chemicals are available for farmers,” the cane commissioner added.
Sugarcane is grown on about 30 lakh hectares across Uttar Pradesh, with average productivity recorded at 830.2 quintals per hectare in the 2024-25 cane year. More than 50 lakh farmer families in the state are linked to sugarcane cultivation.
