AI must for saving sugarcane industry: Hasan Mushrif-Maharashtra
At KDCC Bank’s AGM, chairman and minister Hasan Mushrif warned that Kolhapur’s sugar industry could collapse unless sugarcane productivity doubles within two years. He urged farmers to adopt AI-based farming, citing yields of 125 tonnes per acre in Baramati versus 25–30 locally. KDCC will fund technology adoption, boost crop loans, and expand schemes for women and students, including low-interest education loans.
Kolhapur: At the annual general meeting of Kolhapur District Central Cooperative (KDCC) Bank, chairman and minister Hasan Mushrif said, sugar industry will be destroyed if sugarcane productivity is not doubled in the next two years. He asked farmers to adopt artificial intelligence for sugarcane farming and claimed that with its use, farmers from Baramati increased their productivity to 125 tonnes per acre. In Kolhapur, normally, production is around 25-30 tonnes per acre.”KDCC bank has decided to pay the share of Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Baramati’s Krishi Vigyan Kendra and sugar mills for farmers to adopt AI technology. We are also going to increase the crop loan amount to ensure farmers can get the technology. The minimum selling price of sugar is not increased. There are limitations for ethanol production and use. Recently, some sections are opposing the ethanol blending program. The govt now does not need power generated from co-generation plants of sugar mills. So how will the industry run? The only solution is to ensure the sugar mills are run six months a year from currently three months. To ensure this, we need to increase the productivity from 25-30 tonne to 60 tonnne,” said Mushrif.
The district’s apex cooperative bank has aimed to increase the profit to Rs325 crore in the coming year. The bank has working capital worth Rs3,955 crore.Mushrif also said KDCC has launched a financial aid scheme for Ladki Bahin beneficiaries who receive Rs 1,500 per month from state govt. “To ensure that the Ladki Bahins stand on their feet and become financially independent, we launched a scheme to provide Rs 30,000 aid to them. As many as 12,483 women have been provided a total loan of Rs37 crore. The installment is Rs960 per month for the entire sum of the loan. If the women repay the loan on time, we will offer them a Rs 50,000 loan,” he said.He also announced the education loan scheme for students seeking money to study abroad and for higher education within the country. He said students will get a loan of up to Rs30 lakh. “Usually, banks provide education loans at a 12% interest rate; however, we have decided to give it at just an 8% per annum rate. It will encourage rural students to study abroad and fulfil their dreams of taking higher education,” said the minister.
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Source : The Times Of India
