Economic Analysis of Innovative Sugarcane Production Techniques for Realizing Food and Nutritional Security in Subtropical India

The study has compared profitability of sugarcane cultivation in conventional and innovative sugarcane production techniques (ISPT), productivity improvement and contributing factors responsible for adoption of superior package of practices for sugarcane in Uttar Pradesh. The multistage random sampling technique was used to select 17 cane cooperatives societies and 170 sugarcane farms from 10 sugar mills command area of five districts in Uttar Pradesh. The primary data were collected through personal interview during 2015–16. The study has revealed the overall cost of sugarcane production to be more in conventional than ISPT method. The farmers cultivate pulses, oilseeds and vegetables as inter crops in autumn planted sugarcane and pulses or cucurbits in spring planted sugarcane under ISPT and get additional net income. The study has concluded that sugarcane cultivation is more remunerative under ISPT method than conventional method in sub-tropical India. However, the escalating input-costs, fluctuating output-prices, and delayed payments by sugar mills are the major factors limiting the productivity and profitability of sugarcane cultivation. Farmers should adopt farm mechanization to overcome labour scarcity for intercultural operations and improve per unit productivity in Uttar Pradesh.