New Delhi: Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has announced the formation of a dedicated team within the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) specifically focused on sugarcane research and policy. This move was revealed at a national discussion on the sugarcane economy, signalling a strategic push to address sector challenges and modernize sugarcane research in India.
Key Issues and Research Focus
Chouhan emphasized practical, on-ground solutions for farmers and the sugar industry, stating, “Research that does not serve farmers is meaningless.” The newly-formed ICAR team will:
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Develop resilient sugarcane varieties, especially to counter issues like red rot disease (noted in variety 238).
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Address new disease risks that emerge with new varieties.
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Evaluate the drawbacks of mono-cropping, recommending careful assessment before shifting to intercropping, which could enhance soil health and sustainability.
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Focus on mechanization, cost reduction, improved sugar recovery, and especially water efficiency using strategies like “per drop, more crop,” while also advocating financial support for costly drip irrigation.
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Push for value-added bioproducts—beyond only ethanol and molasses—for better farmer incomes, and promote natural farming techniques to reduce fertilizer dependency.
Value Chain and Industry Engagement
Chouhan acknowledged the pressing issue of delayed payments to farmers in the sugar value chain, suggesting that new research and policy efforts must address both farmer grievances and sugar mill constraints. The Minister underscored the acute shortage of agricultural labor, advocating for new training, capacity building, and labor-saving mechanization in sugarcane harvesting.
Strategic Research and Policy Directions
ICAR Director General Dr. M. L. Jat outlined four strategic areas for the new research team:
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Define research priorities that foster innovation.
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Identify developmental hurdles for translating research into practice.
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Tackle industry-specific challenges like yield recovery and processing efficiency.
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Recommend supportive policy actions to strengthen sector growth.
Experts at the discussion noted the critical need for better water and fertilizer management, advocating for micro-irrigation and more efficient fertilizer use. Crop diversification—such as integrating pulses and oilseeds with sugarcane—was strongly recommended to increase productivity, profitability, and sustainability.
Adoption and Testing of Varieties
Dr. Devendra Kumar Yadav of ICAR explained the rigorous three-year testing for new varieties, highlighting the challenges of adoption and yield gap analysis. All participants agreed that research must remain closely linked to farmer needs and real-world outcomes.
Conclusion
The establishment of a dedicated ICAR sugarcane research team marks a pivotal step toward an innovation-driven, farmer-focused future for India’s sugarcane sector. The new framework aims to make research more responsive to practical challenges and build a robust, sustainable value chain benefitting both farmers and industry stakeholders.
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Source: PIB
