The Director of Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Bakshi Ram, has urged the sugar industry to consider trying new varieties of sugarcane to sustain productivity.

Ruling varieties such as Co 86032, CoS 767 and CoSe 92423 were released more than 15 years ago. Though these have remained on top, productivity of sugarcane has remained stagnant for over a decade now.

Cane productivity can be enhanced only by going in for new and improved varieties that are superior in sucrose percentage and yield compared to the existing three.

The Sugarcane Breeding Institute and the State Agricultural University have developed superior varieties, he said at a seminar on 'Multidimensional approach to make sugarcane cultivation sustainable'.

The seminar was organised in association with the South Indian Sugarcane and Sugar Technologists’ Association, Chennai.

Industry sources have voiced concern over the present scenario of the cane and stressed the need for better coordination with the research institute to tackle the crisis.

Over 80 delegates (scientists and sugar factory personnel) from the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu attended this day-long workshop and deliberated on various issues for sustaining cane cultivation in the region.

K Nagendran, Special Director (Cane), Thiru Arooran Sugars Ltd, in his keynote address stressed the need for greater awareness of the Rangarajan Committee recommendations on deregulation of sugar sector.