(a) whether there has been considerable decline in sowing area of sugarcane in the country during the last year and the current year;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to promote the cultivation of Sugarcane and increase its acreage in the country?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIA)
(a) & (b): Depending upon the rainfall/weather conditions, availability of water in reservoirs, irrigation facilities etc., State-wise area under sugarcane in the country has been fluctuating. However, in the last four-five years, total area under sugarcane has been hovering around 49-50 lakh hectares. State-wise details of area under sugarcane during the last year and the current year, i.e., 2013-14 and 2014-15 along-with increase/decrease in area coverage over the previous year are given in the Annexure.
(c): To increase the production and productivity of sugarcane in the country, the National Food Security Mission-Commercial Crop-Sugarcane is under implementation in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh from 2014-15.
Under the scheme, assistance is provided for demonstration on inter cropping and single bud technology of sugarcane, demonstration on use of tissue culture seedlings/plantlets, strengthening/ establishment of tissue culture and bio-agent laboratories, National and State level trainings etc.
In order to ensure remunerative price to sugarcane growers and promote cultivation of sugarcane, the Government of India has also increased its Fair & Remunerative Price (FRP) from Rs.210/quintal in 2013-14 to Rs.220/quintal in 2014-15.