Lucknow : The Uttar Pradesh government has announced plans to promote the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in sugarcane farming to improve yields and support farmers, according to jagran.
This development aims to provide sugarcane farmers with predictions for potential pest attacks, crop health monitoring, weather forecasting, proper water irrigation, automation technology in irrigation, drone usage, soil sampling, data analysis, and assistance in various tasks including crop planting.
Veena Kumari, the Chief Secretary of the Sugar Industry and Sugarcane Development Department issued instructions to the officials in the department in this regard.
During a review meeting held on Friday at the Sugarcane Farmers’ Institute, the Sugar Commissioner instructed sugarcane officials to facilitate prompt payment to farmers and ensure effective oversight at weighbridges for accurate measurements. A toll-free number, 1800-121-3203, has also been introduced for weighbridge-related information.
Addressing the ongoing sugarcane season, the Sugar Commissioner reported that payments totaling Rs. 14,200 crore have been disbursed, covering approximately 82% of the total dues. Operational sugar mills, numbering 120, have produced about 58 lakh tonnes of sugar by crushing 574 lakh tonnes of sugarcane. The sugarcane cultivation area has expanded to 29.66 lakh hectares, marking a growth of 44.4%. Sugarcane productivity has increased from 72.38 tonnes per hectare in 2016-17 to 83.95 tonnes per hectare in the current season.
The Commissioner stressed the necessity for stringent action against those found culpable in weighbridge irregularities and urged officials to conduct thorough inspections at mill gates and sugarcane purchasing centers. A toll-free number has been introduced to enhance efficiency and transparency in reporting weighbridge-related information.
