Mechanical Harvesting of Sugarcane is Need of Hour: ISMA

The spread of automated harvesting will be a win-win situation for both farmers and millers because it will ease labour issues while also helping to improve the next crop, according to ISMA in a statement.

"Because of improvements in cane cutting and garbage distribution by mechanical harvesters, crop ratoonability will improve significantly at no extra expense, which is directly helpful to farmers," ISMA added.

Presently, approximately 2,000 mechanical harvesters are in operation in the country, covering just about 4% of total cane area, which is nearly nothing when compared to other countries like as Brazil, Thailand, and the United States.

The sugar industry wholeheartedly welcomes the move, but obstacles in execution must be reduced with government support, millers said. During the conference, technology vendors showcased their products and informed attendees on technological breakthroughs in the sugarcane industry.

Other speakers also mentioned the difficulties of having more non-cane material in the total cane weight in machine harvested cane versus human harvesting.

The occasion was attended by CACP Chairman Vijay Paul Sharma, Cane Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh Sanjay R Bhoosreddy, and Assistant Secretary in Food Ministry Subodh Kumar Singha, among others.