Pilibhit, Sep 21:
Following reports of crop damage caused by recent floods and waterlogging, sugarcane scientists are launching a state-wide survey to check for diseases and pests in sugarcane fields across Uttar Pradesh.
The survey will cover all 45 districts in UP where sugarcane is grown and is being coordinated by Cane Commissioner Ministhy S. Teams from the Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR) and the UP Council of Sugarcane Research (UPCSR) will work alongside local cane officers and deputy commissioners in each of the nine cane-growing regions.
According to Dr. Sanjeev Pathak, a senior scientist at UPCSR, two scientists from each research institute have been assigned to every region. In areas that are too waterlogged for people to reach, they plan to use drones to spray chemicals.
To help farmers manage the outbreak, pesticides and other necessary chemicals will be made available through sugar mills and cane development societies at a subsidized rate of 25% to 50%.
The scientists will also advise farmers on which treatments to use, and the state’s cane department will issue official guidelines based on their findings. Regional officials have been told to make sure drones, spraying equipment, and necessary chemicals are ready to go.
Sugarcane is a major crop in UP, covering about 30 lakh hectares. The average yield last year was 830.2 quintals per hectare, and more than 50 lakh farming families in the state depend on it for their livelihood.
