Kanpur: International Conference & Sugar Expo on the topic “Sugar Industry- Modernization & Diversification for Sustainability” jointly being organized by National Sugar Institute and UP Sugar Mills Association commenced today. The conference and expo was inaugurated by Shri Sanjeev Chopra, IAS, Secretary (Food & Public Distribution), Government of India. The conference is being attended by large no. of delegates including from overseas countries viz. Australia, England, China, Indonesia, Fiji, Iran, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Uganda etc.
In the inaugural session, 10 distinguished alumni’s were conferred “Sharkarshri”, while “Excellence Award” were given to 06 eminent personalities who have contributed immensely in growth and development of Indian Sugar Industry. 12 sugar companies were also felicitated for their exemplary contribution in boosting ethanol production, productivity enhancement and production of specialty sugar & other value added products.
Shri Sanjeev Chopra, Secretary (Food & Public Distribution), Government of India in his address called upon the industry personnel to act upon adopting best available technologies for improving the productivities from farm to factory. Sugarcane requirement is to grow continuously to meet our sugar and green energy demand, particularly, ethanol requirements and since area under sugarcane is not going to increase further, productivity enhancement is the solution. He stressed upon IT interventions for post-harvest management of sugarcane and possible use of AI as well in various areas including factory operations.
In his welcome address, Prof. Narendra Mohan, Director, National Sugar Institute advocated development of business models producing sugar and other products as per market requirements of individual countries. Looking to the vast potential of producing many value added products, sugar industry is required to promote entrepreneurship, start-ups and integrating with other industries, particularly, MSME sector. We have to look beyond sugar and ethanol, becoming a possible source of “Green Hydrogen”, the fuel of the future. The commitment of the country to be carbon neutral by 2070 is known to us and sugar industry can play a significant role in it, he said.
During the panel discussion on “Future Sugar Scenario & Importance of Diversification”, Shri Sameer Sinha, Chief Executive Officer, M/s Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd. expressed his views on possible dual pricing policy for sugar, one for common consumer and other for industrial users. There is going to be shortfall of sugar in the world market this year and looking to uncertainties of weather conditions, development of climatic resilient sugarcane varieties is the need of hour for every sugar producing country, he said. Shri Muhammed Mustangin, Director, LPP Politeknik discussed the mechanism of production and sale of different sugar qualities for common consumers and industry. Shri Pankaj Rastogi, Executive Director, M/s Dalmia Bharat Sugars Ltd. and Shri T Kannan, Assistant Vice President, EID Parry Group of Sugar Co. suggested producing various bio-products from by-products and waste from sugar industry. We have to look for future and developing sugar industry as hub for “Sustainable Aviation Fuel”, “Green Hydrogen” and “2G Ethanol”, they said.
Shri Arvind Chudasama, Editor, Sugar Journal, England while giving an account of sugar demand-supply in various continents, made presentation on production of various value added products from lignin portion of the bagasse. Dr. Wirat Vanicsriratna, Professor, Kasetsart University made his presentations on innovative technologies viz. application of tractor mounted “Global Navigation Satellite System” for enhancing sugarcane yield and “Cane Delivery Classification System” to classify different qualities of sugarcane and thus minimizing burnt, dry or sugarcane with higher quantities of binding material.
Dr. Seema Paroha, Prof. Biochemistry and Ms. Neelam Dixit, Research Fellow, National Sugar Institute also made their presentation on possibilities of production of bio-ethanol from various feed stocks and innovative technique for purification of different quality waste waters from sugar factories for their conversion to potable water.
