Issues confronting sugarcane farmers, especially in the last two seasons, were highlighted at a meeting of sugarcane research and development workers of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, organised by the National Cooperative Sugar Mills, Alanganallur, here on Thursday.
Setting the tone for the two-day deliberations, Bakshi Ram, Director, Indian Council for Agricultural Research Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI), Coimbatore, said that sugarcane and sugar scenario in Tamil Nadu, which accounted for 7 to 9 per cent of total sugar production in the country, was not too bright for the past two seasons. Compared to 2011-12, cane area in the State, cane crushed, sugar production and sugar recovery were on a declining trend, due to various factors.
Sugar recovery showed a decreasing trend due to factors such as drought, harvesting before maturity and degeneration of varieties. In 2013-14, recovery rate had gone down to 8.32 per cent, the lowest since 1995, which was a cause for concern.
The SBI, Dr. Bakshi Ram said, would initiate a project this year with the support of sugar mills to identify location-specific sugarcane varieties, produce and supply disease-free planting material of improved varieties and conduct surveillance of pest and diseases across Tamil Nadu.
The meeting was inaugurated by L. Subramanian, Collector, who also released a compendium of research articles and status reports on the occasion. C. R. Anandakumar, Vice-Chancellor (acting), Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, delivered the introductory address.
A. Sankaralingam, Additional Director of Sugar, outlined the current scenario of sugar industry in Tamil Nadu. The sugar industry in the State, he said, was in deep loss as the cost of production was higher than procurement price. If the trend continued, cane payment in 2015-16 would be in jeopardy. He attributed the present performance to use of obsolete technology, low production and low mill efficiency. Added to these were sugar price fluctuation and cyclical nature of the industry in which low production led to higher cost of sugar.
