As part of its Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative, the Tamil Nadu government has set a goal of achieving 1,000 lakh tonne of sugarcane production over five years. Given the pressure on cultivable land and diversion of lands for other use, productivity enhancement is the only way to achieve the target. Accordingly, a comprehensive production technology package was being promoted to augment productivity. It will also help reduce input requirements, especially those of planting material and water, besides increasing fertiliser efficiency by adoption of precision farming and mechanised harvesting.
Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative was implemented in 2,648 hectares during 2012-13 under the National Agricultural Development Programme. The scheme will continue during 2013-14 also, said a Tamil Nadu government policy note on the agriculture department.
Sugarcane is the backbone of Tamil Nadu?s sugar industry, which is the state?s second largest agro-based industry. Even in the prevailing water- scarce scenario, the water-guzzling sugarcane crop is a major hope for farmers to sustain their incomes and to improve their standard of living.
In Tamil Nadu, sugarcane is cultivated on around 3.50 lakh hectare, which is 5% of the total cultivable area. The state ranks fourth in sugar production in India, accounting for 9% of national production.