THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 8, 2026

Sugarcane holds vast potential to transform rural livelihoods in Odisha and the state is targeting a significant rise in average productivity by promoting modern agronomic practices, precision irrigation and high-yielding varieties, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said on Tuesday.

Addressing farmers at the inaugural session of a two-day state-level workshop on “Modern Sugarcane Production Technologies for Higher Productivity” at Krushi Bhawan here, Singh Deo said the government was working to take agricultural research from laboratories to farmers’ fields to help them increase production while lowering input costs.

 “By leveraging modern agronomic practices, precision irrigation, and high-yielding varietal adoption, our target is to significantly raise the average productivity,” he said, adding that the Technology Mission on Sugarcane Development (TMSD) was aimed at facilitating the adoption of modern technologies at the grassroots level.

The workshop, organised by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment under the state sector scheme TMSD, seeks to accelerate technology dissemination, strengthen Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO)-based market linkages and enhance farm productivity in major sugarcane-growing districts including Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jajpur and Kalahandi.

Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samant said linking sugarcane farmers with cooperative models and FPOs was crucial to creating direct market linkages and improving their profit margins.

 “Strengthening coordination between sugar mills, research institutions and FPOs will ensure timely procurement, better sugar recovery and transparent pricing for our cultivators,” Samant said.

The inaugural session was also attended by Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Commissioner-cum-Secretary Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, OUAT Vice-Chancellor Dr Pravat Kumar Roul, Director of Agriculture Subham Saxena, Director of Soil Conservation Subrat Kumar Panda and other senior officials.

The two-day workshop features technical sessions by scientists from leading agricultural research 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 Research Institute for Research on Cotton (ICAR-CRRI).

Experts are discussing a range of issues including high-yielding crop varieties, soil health management, integrated nutrient and pest management, precision irrigation and farm mechanisation, with the workshop providing a platform for direct interaction between farmers and scientists.

Five progressive farmers were also felicitated and rewarded during the event for their contribution to sugarcane production.