The Indian Sugar Mills Association and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research- Sugarcane Breeding Institute have signed an MoU to develop high-yielding sugarcane varieties that would have higher sugar recovery, reports The Hindu.
Aditya Jhunjhunwala, ISMA president said, “The five-year project will involve 25 sugar mills and successful varieties, suitable for tropical and sub-tropical regions, will be released to farmers every year. The project involves a financial outlay of ₹7.5 crore and is essential to meet the growing needs of ethanol from sugar mills.”
“Currently, the average yield per hectare stands at 80 tonnes, while the project aims to achieve a target of 100 tonnes. Regarding recovery, the current rate is 10.85%, with a target set at 11.5%. As the yield increases, farmers can expect improved payments. To evaluate the true benefits of different varieties, the project includes extensive mill testing,” he further added.
G Hemaprabha, director of the Sugarcane Breeding Institute, said, “The project entails the assessment of elite sugarcane clones within sugar mills situated across various regions of the country. Over 40 superior clones will be tested for yield and quality potential.”
