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A Niti Aayog task force recommended linking sugarcane prices to sugar rates to keep the industry in sound financial health.

Significance and Recommendations

• It has also pitched for a one time increase in minimum sugar price to Rs 33 per kilo to help sugar mills cover the cost of production.
• Also recommended shifting of some areas under sugarcane cultivation to less water-intensive crops by providing suitable incentive to farmers a compensation of Rs 6,000 per hectare.
• In order reduce the burden of sugarcane cultivation it must be liked with sugar prices otherwise it negatively impacted the cultivation.
• Sugarcane is the second largest agro-based industry after cotton.
• Also the domestic consumption estimate of sugar is 2.6 crore tonnes against a production of 3 crore tonnes.

Sugarcane Industry in India

• Second largest after the cotton textile industry.
• The population related for sugar industry constitute 7 percent of and it employs more than 3.5 lakh people. 
• Uttar Pradesh accounts for nearly half of the total cane area followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu (12%), Karnataka (9%) and Andhra Pradesh (6%).
• Cultivation requirement 
  • Temperatures between 50 degree C and 20 degree C required. The crop does best in the tropical regions receiving a rainfall of 750-1200 mm. For ripening, it needs a cool, dry season. Heavy rainfall reduces the quality of the juice tends.
  • It grows best on medium heavy soils. 
  • Planting of sugarcane is done in three seasons
    • suru- January-February,
    • adsali – July-August
    • pre seasonal- October-November for planting generally ridge
  • The required amount of water varies from 2000 to 2500 mm based on climate, soil and duration
  • Harvested once the farmers got order from mills mainly in November. 

Source : Economic Times

Topic

Prelims : Sugarcane Industry

GS III : Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers