One early-maturing variety yielded 9.44% more than the benchmark, while six older varieties will be phased out.
Uttar Pradesh has approved four new sugarcane varieties for cultivation, with the state government saying the move is intended to raise cane and sugar production. The announcement was made on October 4. State Cane Commissioner Ministhy S. told The Hindu that the early-maturing varieties performed better than popular alternatives on yield and sugar recovery.
The state’s Council of Sugarcane Research proposed CoS.23232. Its average plant-crop yield was 95.56 tonnes per hectare, 9.44% above the benchmark variety Co.0238. Ministhy said the new variety is resistant to red rot and performs well as a ratoon crop, the regrowth harvested after the initial cut.
The approval subcommittee also considered an early-maturing variety developed by the Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research in Lucknow. The report did not identify the other approved varieties by name. It said six older varieties, which have become unpopular and occupy negligible cultivation areas, will be phased out over the next two years.
Additional Cane Commissioner Abhishek Anand said the expanded selection could help farmers choose varieties suited to their fields while improving cane yields and sugar recovery for mills. Those gains remain projections. The detailed yield figure in the announcement applies to CoS.23232, and the report did not give comparable numbers for the other varieties.