Monsoon delay to affect cane yield, fear farmers

The delay in arrival of monsoon is giving jitters to the sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh.

Although the acreage for the 2010-11 crushing season is likely to increase by over 15 per cent, the cane societies are worrying that monsoon delay would certainly affect the per acre yield of the cash crop.

Due to high temperature, there is rising possibility of diseases and pests, particularly shoot borer and root borer, affecting the crop.

“If the monsoon remains elusive for another week or so, the prospect of a ‘substantial’ rise in cane production over last year would be adversely affected,” Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Sugarcane Societies’ Federation, Chairman, Shrikant Singh told Business Standard.

The sugar mills procure cane fo crushing through these societies as individual farmers are its members.

Singh maintained although the cane acreage could increase 15-20 per cent, the rise in production would not correspond that much if rainfall remains deficit.

The cane area has increased this year, since farmers are expecting good returns akin to last year, when prices had touched Rs 300/quintal due to steep hike in the domestic sugar prices and scarcity of cane for crushing.

The preliminary annual sugarcane survey had been completed in the state and a meeting of the sugarcane department is slated for July 8 in Lucknow to be chaired by state sugarcane development minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui.

According to official estimates, the sugarcane acreage is likely to increase 15 per cent to 2.05 million hectares this year, although the final data is still being collated.

There are almost 4.2 million sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh, while the number of sugarcane societies is around 172.

The survey ascertains the acreage and cane requirement of sugar mills for crushing. The cane commissioner passes reservation order on the basis of the survey, which binds sugarcane area to a particular mill.

Being the largest sugarcane producing state and the second largest sugar producer after Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh during 2009-10, produced five million tonnes of sugar compared to four million tonnes the previous year.

The cane acreage stood at 1.79 million hectares during 2009-10, against 2.85 million hectares and 2.14 million hectares in 2007-08 and 2008-09 respectively.