Intercropping is the way for Sugarcane Industry: UP Govt

Lucknow, SEPTEMBER 25 The Uttar Pradesh Government has asked the sugarcane industry to adopt agro-techniques to boost productivity. Twenty representatives of sugar mills and agriculture departments from 11 states attended a training workshop organised by the Directorate of Extension, Ministry of Agriculture, recently to learn techniques that would help them sustain growth.
Since 2001, the Indian sugarcane industry has been dogged with sluggish growth and the productivity of sugarcane has declined. While the average yield, which peaked at 71.2 tonnes per hectare in 1998, has dropped to 64.3 tonnes per hectare, rising production costs and lower returns have resulted in heavy losses for farmers.

Now the state Government has asked sugarcane growers to adopt intercropping—cultivating two or more crops in the same place and at the same time — as an answer to these issues.

Specialty crops such as pulses, legumes, cereals, vegetables, forages and spices can easily be grown with sugarcane. “Potato, mustard, maize and garlic are some of the crops farmers are being advised to grow. They will generate intermittent returns that will supplement sugarcane's annual harvest,” said an official.

source:indianexpress