U.P. focuses on high-yielding disease-resistant sugarcane varieties, scientific sugarcane cultivation practices and mechanization

Uttar Pradeshgovernment on Friday (September 25, 2026) said it is focusing on institutional capacity to ensure that development initiatives translate into measurable benefits for farmers, along with a concentration on high-yielding and disease-resistant sugarcane varieties, improved seed systems, scientific cultivation practices and mechanisation.

“As land availability becomes increasingly constrained, the future of sugarcane growth depends less on expansion of area and more on gains in productivity. Recognising this reality, Uttar Pradesh has shifted its focus towards high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties, improved seed systems, scientific cultivation practices and mechanisation. The challenge is particularly important in the context of varietal replacement. The widespread success of Co-0238 transformed sugarcane cultivation in the State, but red-rot pressure has underlined the need for continuous innovation. Current efforts are therefore directed towards developing new high-yielding and high-sucrose varieties while expanding access to quality seed material,” told Ministhy S., Uttar Pradesh Cane Commissioner and Managing Director State Sugar Corporation Limited, to The Hindu.

Ms. Ministhy, a 2003-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, added, “Equally important has been the push towards mechanisation, micro-irrigation, integrated nutrient management and scientific pest control. These measures seek not only to raise productivity but also to reduce the cost of cultivation and improve farm profitability,”.

Abhishek Anand, Additional Commissioner Cane and a 2014-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, said the sugarcane sector’s evolution is increasingly being shaped by advanced technologies. “The use of remote sensing, satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and machine learning is enabling more accurate crop monitoring and varietal mapping. Geo-tagged field inspections through mobile applications are improving oversight, while new initiatives involving seed traceability and predictive analytics are laying the groundwork for data-driven decision-making, sugarcane department has tied up with remote sensing application centre (RSAC) to implement a pilot project of sugarcane crop area estimation and variety identification through remote sensing and machine learning,”he said.

Mr. Anand added, “Today, a farmer in Uttar Pradesh can access survey details, cane reservation information, weighment records and payment status through a mobile phone. What was once a paper-driven system has gradually evolved into a real-time digital ecosystem. The significance of this shift lies not merely in convenience. It has enhanced transparency, reduced disputes and strengthened accountability across the sugarcane supply chain. In an era when agriculture is increasingly influenced by climate variability and resource constraints, the ability to generate and use accurate field-level data may prove as important as traditional extension services,”.