ELEVATING MAXIMUM SUGARCANE AND SUGAR PRODUCTION: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN UTTAR PRADESH.

Sugarcane is cultivated under wide range of climatic conditions viz., hot weather during summer and very low temperature during winter with different agroclimatic zones in U.P. state of subtropical region. Hot and dry summer months followed by cool, wet and few days of frost in winter month are mainly concern with growth and quality of sugarcane crop. The Indian sugar industry, second largest in the world, is a key driver of rural development, supporting India?s economic growth. The industry is inherently supporting over 6 million farmers and their families, along with workers and entrepreneurs of over 550 sugarmills, apart from a host of wholesalers and distributors spread across the country. Contribution of sugarcane to the national GDP is 1.1% which is significant considering that the crop is grown only in 2.57% of the gross cropped area. The industry produces 350 ? 365 million tonnes cane, 25-27 mt white sugar and 6-8 mtjaggery and khandsari every year. India occupies better position in the world in area and production after Brazil but the cane yield/ha is generally lower (70 t/ha) than several other countries like Peru (120t/ha), Australia (100t/ha), and Brazil (80t/ha) etc. Uttar Pradesh rank first in the country with regards to cane area (2.1 mha) and also in sugar production (8.75 mt). Therefore, the northern state particularly Uttar Pradesh plays important role in improving national sugarcane productivity is obvious. Now days improvement in crop yield (72.37 t/ha) and sugar recovery (10.61%) in U.P. stagnation in the factor productivity have needs further improvement for sustainability of crop yield level reached during green revolution period. In order to maintain crop sustainability, applied researches are being conducted in different disciplines and research finding?s as well as exercises such as crop rotation, integrated nutrients management strategy and green cane harvesting have been resulted to increase irrigation and drainage efficiency, improvement in organic matter and its better effect on soil properties and sugarcane nutrition. In this aspect an experimental result at sugarcane Research Institute of U.P. Council of Sugarcane Research Shahjahanpur (U.P.) showed that integration of 10t/ha Farm Yard manure + inorganic fertilizer N, P2O5 and K2O on soil test basis + biofertilizers (Azotobactorand phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (PSB)) each @ 10kg/ha gave significantly better cane yield of plant and also in their sub ? sequent ratoons with trash mulching at the starting of ratoon management.