Bhubaneswar: With Odisha looking to improve sugarcane productivity and increase farmers’ earnings, a two-day state-level workshop on modern sugarcane cultivation began at Krushi Bhavan here on Tuesday.
The workshop, focusing on the use of advanced technologies and improved farming practices, aims to help growers raise yields, reduce cultivation costs and make sugarcane farming more profitable.
The workshop on “Modern Sugarcane Cultivation for Higher Yield” has been organised under the state-sector scheme Technology Mission on Sugarcane Development (TMSD) by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment. It is being held on September 8 and 9.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, along with Minister for Cooperation, Textiles, Handlooms and Handicrafts Pradeep Bal Samanta, inaugurated the workshop.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, OUAT Vice-Chancellor Prof Pravat Kumar Roul, Director of Agriculture and Food Production Shubham Saxena, and Director of Soil Conservation and Watershed Development Subrat Kumar Panda, among others, attended the inaugural session.
The workshop is aimed at creating a platform for farmers, scientists, agriculture officials, representatives of sugar mills and other stakeholders to exchange knowledge and technical expertise on sugarcane cultivation.
Officials said sugarcane remains an important cash crop in Odisha and has significant potential to improve farm incomes while supporting the sugar industry and other allied sectors. However, variations in productivity across districts highlight the need for wider adoption of improved varieties, modern cultivation practices, better disease management and efficient use of agricultural resources.
According to district-wise estimates, sugarcane was cultivated on 19,680 hectares in Odisha during 2022-23, producing around 14.37 lakh metric tonnes. The area under cultivation increased to 22,460 hectares in 2023-24, when production touched 16.36 lakh metric tonnes. In 2024-25, the crop was cultivated on around 19,200 hectares, with production estimated at 14.53 lakh metric tonnes.
The average yield during the period was around 75.68 quintals per hectare. The workshop is therefore focusing on ways to expand the area under sugarcane cultivation while simultaneously improving productivity and yield through modern technologies and scientific farming practices.
Sugarcane is mainly grown in districts including Kataka, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Baleshwar, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada and Kalahandi, among others. The differences in productivity between districts, experts said, indicate considerable scope for improvement.
The two-day deliberations will cover a wide range of issues, including high-yielding varieties, land preparation, soil health management, organic and integrated nutrient management, pest and disease control, sustainable cultivation practices and efficient use of farm machinery.
Precision irrigation, post-harvest management, value addition, sugarcane marketing, pricing policies, cooperative models and market linkages through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) will also be discussed.
Experts from leading agricultural research and educational institutions, including ICAR-Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (ICAR-IISR), ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI), ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management (ICAR-IIWM), Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) and ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute (ICAR-CRRI), are participating in the workshop.
Among the experts taking part in the deliberations are Dr T.K. Srivastava, Dr Sujata Das, Dr C.H. Sita Ramalakshmi, Dr Debadatta Sethi, Dr Rahul Kumar Tiwari, Dr Swagatika Mohanty, Dr A. Vennila, Dr B. Bhajanta, Dr Markandeya Mohapatra, Dr Prabhukalyan Panigrahi and Dr Chandra Gupta.
The workshop also provides farmers with an opportunity to interact directly with scientists and discuss field-level challenges. The exchange is expected to help identify practical solutions to problems related to cultivation, productivity, pest and disease management and resource utilisation.
Five successful sugarcane farmers will also be felicitated during the workshop for their outstanding contributions to sugarcane cultivation.
The discussions will also focus on climate-resilient farming and the adoption of modern agricultural practices to improve yield and sugar content, lower cultivation costs and enhance the livelihoods of sugarcane growers.
The agriculture department expects the workshop to strengthen coordination among research institutions, government departments, sugar mills, FPOs and farmers. The initiative is aimed at ensuring that farmers have access to modern cultivation techniques and advanced technologies, ultimately making sugarcane farming more productive, sustainable and economically viable in Odisha.
