Now Reading: ISMA partners with ICAR for Rs 80 crore sugarcane seed centre
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ISMA partners with ICAR for Rs 80 crore sugarcane seed centre
The Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has signed an MoU with ICAR, Indian Sugarcane Research Institute (ICAR-ISRI), Lucknow, to set up an Advanced Centre for quality sugarcane seed production. The…
The Story in Brief
The Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has signed an MoU with ICAR, Indian Sugarcane Research Institute (ICAR-ISRI), Lucknow, to set up an Advanced Centre for quality sugarcane seed production. The centre, to be built at ISRI’s campus at an estimated Rs 80 crore shared equally between the two, will focus on producing disease-free, genetically pure planting material for sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh and the subtropical region. The programme will also monitor seed quality, assess field performance, train cane development personnel, and help replace pest-prone varieties, ISMA said in a statement on Wednesday.
The initiative aims to create a structured system for multiplication and distribution of high-yielding seeds, with digital traceability through QR codes under the Agriculture Ministry’s Seed Net portal. ICAR will contribute its services, while ISMA will invest in infrastructure. The centre will support systematic variety diversification across sugar mill command areas to boost cane productivity and sugar recovery.
The Indian Opinion
This tie-up between an industry body and a government research institute sounds promising, but Indian agriculture is littered with well-intentioned MoUs that falter at the last mile. The narrative that technology alone will solve yield gaps ignores the fragmented landholdings and weak extension services typical in UP's sugarcane belt. The real test is whether participating sugar mills, which have often prioritised crushing margins over farmer support, will actually invest in training and timely distribution. Watch how many farmers adopt the new seed varieties in the first two seasons.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
