Madurai: The Director of ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, G. Hemaprabha, stated that the sugarcane cultivation area in Tamil Nadu has seen a slight increase, rising from 1.548 lakh hectares in 2021-22 to 1.61 lakh hectares in 2022-23, reported The Hindu.
Addressing the 53rd sugarcane research and development workshop of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in Theni, she noted that, despite this growth, the average sugarcane yield in the state has declined from 109.24 tonnes per hectare in 2021-22 to 104.78 tonnes per hectare in 2022-23, which is a cause for concern.
Hemaprabha expressed optimism about recent sugarcane varieties released by ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, such as Co 11015, Co 18009, and Co 14012, and anticipated encouraging results in the upcoming seasons due to extensive research and development efforts.
At the workshop’s inauguration, Theni Collector R. V. Shajeevana, who also launched a Compendium of research articles and status papers, noted a decrease in the sugarcane area in Theni district, from 3,046 hectares to 2,077 hectares in 2021-22. The Tamil Nadu government and Rajshree Sugars in the district are offering various incentives for sugarcane growers, including subsidies for single bud planting and chip bud seedling planting through the Kalaignar All Village Integrated Agriculture Development program.
The workshop serves as a vital bridge between researchers and development personnel, facilitating the timely and effective transfer of the latest technologies developed at research stations to sugarcane growers, according to Ms. Shajeevana.
Rajshree Pathy, Chairperson of Rajshree Sugars & Chemicals Limited, emphasized the need for cane development in the state to encourage farmers to take up sugarcane cultivation by providing packages to improve yields and net income. High labor costs and labor shortages have driven Tamil Nadu factories to adopt end-to-end mechanization.
