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Dedicated ICAR Team for Sugarcane Research Announced
What’s the News?
- Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, announced the formation of a dedicated research team within the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to address critical challenges in sugarcane cultivation.
- The announcement was made during the National Consultation on the Sustainable Sugarcane Economy, held in New Delhi on September 30, 2025.
- The team will focus on developing disease-resistant varieties, improving sugar recovery, promoting mechanization, and reducing input costs, with direct inputs from farmers, scientists, and industry stakeholders.
Focus Areas of the ICAR Sugarcane Team
- Varietal Development:
- Address vulnerability of high-sugar variety Co 238 to red rot disease by developing resilient alternatives.
- Enhance sugar content and yield stability under changing climatic conditions.
- Sustainable Farming Practices:
- Discourage mono-cropping, which leads to soil nutrient depletion and reduced nitrogen fixation.
- Promote crop diversification and integrated farming systems.
- Policy & Technology Integration:
- Formulate evidence-based sugarcane policies.
- Accelerate mechanization and cost-efficient cultivation techniques.
- Improve sugar recovery rates in mills through better agronomic and post-harvest practices.
Additional Info
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR):
- An autonomous body under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
- Coordinates agricultural research and education across 101 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities.
- Sugarcane in India:
- India is the second-largest sugarcane producer globally after Brazil.
- Major producing states: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar.
- Sugarcane supports over 50 million farmers and is central to India’s sugar, ethanol, and bioenergy sectors.
- Related Initiatives:
- Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP): Targets 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025–26, with sugarcane-based ethanol as a key feedstock.
- National Sugar Policy: Aims to ensure fair pricing for farmers (FRP) and sustainable mill operations.
- ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI), Coimbatore: Premier institute for sugarcane varietal development; has released over 100 high-yielding varieties since 1912.