Bihar To Have An International Sugarcane Research Centre
Bihar will set up an International Sugarcane Research Centre in Pusa, Samastipur, to boost crop yield and innovation.
Patna: The Bihar government will establish an International Sugarcane Research Centre at Pusa in Samastipur to take ahead research in various aspects of the cash crop, its varieties, and yield. It also launched a portal and app to provide consultancy and help to the sugarcane farmers.
“We are going to set-up an international-level sugarcane research institute at Pusa. The department has intensified efforts for it,” Sugarcane Industry Minister Krishna Nandan Paswan said. He also inaugurated an online licensing portal and application developed by the department, which will offer several services are being offered to sugarcane farmers.
“The new app will provide farmers with important information related to sugarcane cultivation. They will be taught advanced farming techniques. It will guide them on precautions that must be taken during the different months, the pesticides to be use in specific diseases, and the types of equipment that could be used to reduce costs,” Paswan said.
The minister added that the app will also guide the farmers about fertilisers that should be used in varying weather conditions, how to manage irrigation and waste, and many more things.
The Bihar government is aiming to provide farmers with high-quality seeds and equipment so that their costs decreases and production increases. Paswan pointed out that of the 15 sugar mills in the state, 8 have been non-functional for a long time and are decaying. Their assets have now been handed over to the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA), and steps are being taken to establish industries on these premises.
Speaking further, the minister asserted that the main objective of the Sugarcane Industry Department was to provide farmers with high-quality seeds and modern equipment. It would help increase production and reduce costs. “The department sees this as a key step toward doubling farmers’ income,” he said.
Paswan added that the licensing process for operating jaggery (gur) units has been made entirely online, so farmers and entrepreneurs no longer need to visit government offices to submit their applications.
Bihar lags behind in sugarcane productivity. It was just 60.6 tonnes per hectare in 2023 against the national average of around 79 tonnes per hectare. With good varieties and better farming practices, it could be taken to over 130 tonnes per hectare.
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Source : ETV Bharat
