(a) whether the Government has worked out the input cost of sugarcane production;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the per hectare input cost of sugarcane recorded
during each of the last three years, State-wise;
(c) the States where the said cost is less or higher along with the reasons for the high
or less input cost; and
(d) the reaction of the Union Government thereto?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
(SHRI SHARAD PAWAR)
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK
SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 561 DUE FOR REPLY ON 14TH MAY, 2007.
(a)&(b): The cost of cultivation and per quintal cost of production of sugarcane is
worked out based on `Comprehensive Scheme for Studying the Cost of Cultivation of
Principal Crops in India` implemented through the State Agricultural and other
Universities, on annual basis. The details of the latest available estimates of input costs
measured in terms of expenses incurred in cash and kind including rent paid for leased-
in-land of sugarcane cultivation in the major States during the years 2004-05 to 2006-07
is given in the Annexure.
(c)&(d): As can be observed from the Annexure, lowest input cost of Rs.18,845.56
per hectare was noticed for Uttar Pradesh during 2004-05 and highest Rs.50,382.80 per
hectare for Maharashtra during the same year. The cost differences are due to factors like
crop duration, technology adopted, inputs used and their prices, the proportion of planted
and ratoon sugarcane etc.
In order to ensure that the remunerative price for their sugarcane crop,
Government announces the Statutory Minimum Price (SMP) of Sugarcane every
year. Some States also announce State Advised Prices over and above the SMP. Further
to increase the production and productivity of sugarcane, assistance is provided to States
for demonstration and training, implements, seed multiplication and drip irrigation
infrastructure.