Patterns of Sugarcane Mechanization and Transportation in Western U.P.

Information on mechanization pattern of sugarcane cultivation and transport were collected/rom the farmers of selected villages of Bulandshahar, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat districts of Western Uttar Pradesh. Use of sugarcane planter, either semi-automatic or automatic, and sugarcane harvester was found negligible. Generally, farmers owned a tractor-drawnfour-bottom ridger for sugarcane planting and tiller for interculture operations. Cooperative sugar mills at Anoopshahar in Bulandshahar district and Shamli in Muzaffarnagar district were also surveyed to collect data on the mechanism adopted by sugar mills for collection of sugarcane. Sugarcane harvesting is totally manual in the area. Sugar mills collect sugarcane both at the mill gate and at the collection centers located at several places in the area. On an average, the collection at the gate and center were 30% and 70%, respectively. Sugarcane is transported to the mill by using trucks, tractor-trailer and animal carts. Generally, tractor-trailers and animal carts are employed to transport the produce from farmers fields to the mill/collection centers. The collection centers transport sugarcane to the mill on trucks. Buffalo-driven pneumatic wheel animal carts are common. The estimated shares of the three transportation modes are 70, 10, and 20 percent, respectively by trucks, tractor-trailer and animal carts. Sugarcane is a labour intensive crop and a comprehensive mechanization package is needed both for improved cultivation and better sugar recovery.