Uttar Pradesh turns to disease-resistant cane and digital farm monitoring
Uttar Pradesh is prioritising higher-yielding, disease-resistant sugarcane varieties, improved seed systems, mechanisation and scientific cultivation as available land becomes more constrained. Officials also cited remote sensing, artificial intelligence, seed traceability and mobile records as tools for improving productivity, transparency and farmer returns.
Uttar Pradesh is focusing on productivity, disease resistance and technology in its sugarcane sector as land availability becomes increasingly constrained, state officials said. Cane Commissioner and State Sugar Corporation managing director Ministhy S. said future growth would depend less on expanding cultivated area and more on raising yields.
The state is promoting high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties, improved seed systems, scientific cultivation and mechanisation. She said the success of the Co-0238 variety had transformed sugarcane cultivation, but pressure from red rot showed the need for continuous varietal innovation. Current efforts are aimed at developing high-yielding, high-sucrose varieties and expanding farmers’ access to quality planting material.
Officials are also promoting mechanisation, micro-irrigation, integrated nutrient management and scientific pest control. These measures are intended to raise productivity, reduce cultivation costs and improve farm profitability. Additional Cane Commissioner Abhishek Anand said advanced technology was increasingly shaping the sector.
Remote sensing, satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and machine learning are being used for crop monitoring and varietal mapping, while geo-tagged field inspections through mobile applications are intended to improve oversight. The sugarcane department has partnered with the Remote Sensing Application Centre on a pilot project using remote sensing and machine learning to estimate crop areas and identify varieties. Seed traceability and predictive analytics are also being developed.
Anand said farmers could now use mobile phones to access survey details, cane reservation information, weighment records and payment status. He said the shift from paper-based processes had improved transparency, reduced disputes and strengthened accountability across the supply chain. The officials presented the digital systems as particularly relevant while agriculture faces climate variability and resource constraints.
Their wider strategy combines improved varieties, better farm practices, mechanisation and data-based decision-making.
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