In yet another pro-farmer initiative, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms Jayalalithaa, today announced a scheme for boosting sugarcane productivity under which subsidies totalling Rs 12.93 crore would be provided this year.

A sum of Rs 12.93 crore had been allocated by the Chief Minister for taking up cultivation of sugarcane in 7,500 acres under the ‘Sustained Modern Sugarcane Production Scheme’ to increase the length and thickness of the canes, an official release said.

The scheme involving shade net nursery technique and drip irrigation methods will help farmers get good harvest using less water, it said.

Seeking to promote better water management, Ms Jayalalithaa had yesterday announced subsidy ranging from 75 per cent to 100 per cent for farmers taking up micro irrigation.

In the sugarcane scheme, farmers taking up drip irrigation method will get 100 per cent sudsidy from the government to install necessary infrastructure and others 75 per cent subsidy.

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University will train farmers with the technology required for shade net nursery and the inputs from participants would be published in a form of a booklet for distribution to other farmers, the release said.

“The new scheme will help farmers increase the length and weight of the canes,” it said.

According to a state government website, sugarcane is the most important commercial crop grown in the state. Out of 3,35,397 hectares of area under sugarcane, 63.4 per cent is planted and 37.6 per cent is ratoon.

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