Can Uttar Pradesh become a leader in the production of sugarcane, ethanol and co-generation? Can every unit become a high-tech, integrated unit? With sugarcane area shrinking, how can more sugar be made out of lesser cane and how can lab findings be transferred to the fields for a better crop yield? How can the cash flow of farmers be improved so that they are not coerced into selling their produce to gur and khandsari units, which help the illicit liquor industry? These and many more pertinent questions will be raised and thrashed out at the day-long Sugar Tech 2009 seminar that is being organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry here on Wednesday.
Sugar is the most important industry in Uttar Pradesh and there is an urgent need for a debate on the important policy matters. But the debate cannot be one sided. There must be an equilibrium in the pyramid comprising of farmers, industry and the government, said GSC Rao, president Sugar Technologists? Association of India (STAI) and executive director of Simbhaoli Sugars.
Pointing out that the sugar industry of Uttar Pradesh has been passing through a difficult phase due to poor availability of sugarcane and the crushing season reduced to only 100 days, Jayant Krishna, vice chairman, CII UP State Council said the issue was of grave important and all stakeholders should assess the situation, understand the challenges and identify the opportunities so that meaningful solutions can be found out to benefit the farmers, industry and the government.
Reiterating Krishna stand, Rao added that farmers were turning to other crops, which was further aggravating the problem of less sugar production. Touching a raw nerve Rao said, ?We should dream big of becoming the leader in sugar production, cogeneration and also ethanol, which is a big revenue earner for the state government, but first of all there must be cane to crush and only then we can have other things,?.
Emphasising on the seriousness of the state government?s part, Krishna said that internal deliberations are on what should be the state government?s stand on various pertinent issues.
?At present, Uttar Pradesh is the country?s second largest sugar producer after Maharashtra. We should try to make technological innovations backed by pragmatic policies which can turn us into a leader. The seminar is expected to brainstorm issues that are facing the industry and even though we may not expect a major breakthrough, especially on issues such as deregulating the industry or banning gur export, we can hope to reach a consensus on many a nagging issue,? he said.
While the chief secretary, the principal secretary, sugar development and excise and the cane and excise commissioner are expected to represent the Uttar Pradesh government at the seminar, key industrialists, senior technocrats and consultants have also been invited to present their stand on the issues.
The National Sugar Institute, Kanpur and the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee will also provide inputs to help move the sugar industry out of the plight.