The Many Roles of Sugarcane in India and the World

Syllabus: GS3/Agriculture

Context

• A recent study, “The genomic footprints of wild Saccharum species trace domestication, diversification, and modern breeding of sugarcane”, analysed the genomes of 390 sugarcane varieties from Australia, Brazil, China, France, French Polynesia, India, Japan, and the US.

Findings

• These plants were hybrids of a variety of genes, with multiple chromosomes in them (polyploidy).
  • Such polyploidy had occurred due to commercial transport by human breeders, who transported and sold sugarcane across various states in a country. 
  • Polyploidy is the heritable condition of possessing more than two complete sets of chromosomes. 
• Upon genetic analysis, the researchers found that Arunachal Pradesh had the most diverse sugarcane breeds.
• The authors discussed the chemical composition of sugarcane and its potential bioactivities, explored its applications in medicine, and charted the potential direction of future research.

Sugarcane Production in India

• About 4,400 lakh tonnes of sugarcane were produced in 2024-2025, particularly across 13 States. 
• In India, sugarcane is mainly grown in two regions: the subtropical north and the tropical south.
  • The northern belt includes Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and Punjab, while the southern belt covers Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
  • The top five States by production in 2018-2019 to 2023-2024 were Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat. 
• India has been the largest consumer and second largest producer of sugar in the world.

Climatic Conditions

• The sugarcane prospers at temperatures between 20°C and 35°C and requires 75 to 150 cm of rain annually. 
• Prefers fertile and well-drained soils and needs a lot of sunlight. 
• A cold, dry season during ripening and harvesting is ideal.

Challenges

• Water-Intensive Crop: Sugarcane requires 1,500–2,500 mm of water annually; most cultivation relies on groundwater irrigation, causing depletion, especially in Maharashtra and UP.
• Low Yield and Regional Variations: Yields vary sharply across states due to uneven irrigation facilities, soil health issues, and poor seed quality.
• Climate Vulnerability: Sugarcane is highly sensitive to temperature, rainfall patterns, and humidity.
  • Irregular monsoons, droughts, heatwaves, and flooding affect sucrose content and overall yield.
• Declining Soil Fertility: Continuous monocropping and excessive chemical fertiliser use cause: soil nutrient imbalance, reduced organic matter, increased soil salinity and alkalinity.
• Pests and Diseases: Major issues: borers, white grubs, pyrilla, and red rot disease.
• Labour Shortages: Sugarcane requires intensive manual labour for planting, harvesting, and loading.
• Delayed Payments by Sugar Mills: State Advised Price (SAP) and Fair & Remunerative Price (FRP) often do not match mills’ financial capacity.
  • Pricing disputes have triggered widespread protests.
• Post-Harvest Losses: Sugarcane’s seasonal nature creates logistical challenges, as delays beyond 24 hours after harvest cause significant sucrose loss.
• Challenges of Diversion for Ethanol: Growing push for ethanol production sometimes creates competition between sugar and ethanol sectors.

Government Initiatives

• The Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP): The Centre declares FRP under the Sugarcane Control Order, 1966 to ensure farmers receive a minimum guaranteed price.
  • For the 2025-26, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved an FRP of ₹355 per quintal at a basic recovery rate of 10.25%. 
• PM-KUSUM for Irrigation Support: Promote solar pumps to reduce irrigation costs for sugarcane farmers.
  • Enhances access to reliable, low-cost water for cultivation.
• Crop Diversification and Intercropping: The government, through ICAR collaboration, is promoting additive intercropping to address soil degradation and farmer income enhancement. 
• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has also established several sugar research institutes across the country that use classical botanical methods and molecular biological methods to improve the variety and yield of sugarcane. 
• Cooperative Sugar Mill Strengthening Scheme: The government established a ₹10,000 crore loan scheme through NCDC (National Cooperative Development Corporation) for cooperative sugar mills.
  • The scheme supports:​
    • Setting up ethanol production plants.
    • Establishing cogeneration plants.
    • Meeting working capital requirements​.
• Modified Ethanol Interest Subvention Scheme: For cooperative sugar mills converting existing sugarcane-based ethanol plants to multi-feedstock plants, the government provides interest subvention at 6% per annum or 50% of charged interest (whichever is lower) for five years. 
• Crop Insurance – Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): Sugarcane qualifies as an insurable annual commercial crop under PMFBY, providing comprehensive coverage against yield losses from natural calamities, pests, diseases, and localized risks.

Way Ahead

• The comprehensive government framework demonstrates a multi-dimensional approach addressing production efficiency, farmer income, mill viability, environmental sustainability, and market stability. 
• These measures collectively aim to enhance India’s sugarcane productivity from the current 70 tonnes per hectare to 100-110 tonnes per hectare by 2030.

Source: TH