ICAR and Sugar Industry Set Up Centre for Better Sugarcane Seeds
The Indian Sugar and Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association and the ICAR-Indian Sugarcane Research Institute (ICAR-ISRI) have signed an MoU to establish an Advanced Centre for Quality Sugarcane Seed Production at the ICAR-ISRI campus in Lucknow. The centre will focus on producing better-quality planting material for sugar mills and farmers in Uttar Pradesh and other subtropical sugarcane-growing areas.
The agreement was signed on August 13, 2026. The new centre aims to improve sugarcane productivity through scientific seed production, better propagation methods and wider access to superior planting material. The move addresses one of the important challenges in sugarcane farming, where the quality of planting material can directly affect crop establishment and final yield.
Sugarcane is generally propagated through stem cuttings rather than botanical seeds. Farmers plant pieces of healthy sugarcane stalks containing buds, which develop into new plants.
The quality of these planting materials affects germination, crop establishment and early plant growth. Poor-quality or infected material can lead to gaps in the field, weak plant populations and lower yields.
Producing healthy planting material through controlled scientific methods can help farmers begin the crop with stronger plants.
The new centre will focus on improving the production and supply of quality sugarcane seed material. This can help sugar mills and farmers access planting material with better genetic and health characteristics.
Centre to Serve Uttar Pradesh and Subtropical Region
Uttar Pradesh is one of India’s major sugarcane-producing states. A large sugar industry has developed around the crop, supporting farmers, sugar mills and related rural businesses.
The new centre at Lucknow will serve sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh and the wider subtropical region. Its location within ICAR-ISRI will also allow the programme to draw on the institute’s research and technical expertise in sugarcane science.
The centre is expected to focus on scientific propagation and the production of superior planting material. This can help create a more organised supply system for farmers who currently depend on planting material from different sources.
Sugarcane remains a long-duration crop, so farmers make a major investment in land, irrigation, labour and inputs before harvesting.
Poor crop establishment can therefore have consequences throughout the production cycle. Better planting material can improve the initial plant population and help farmers get stronger crop growth.
The new centre’s focus on quality seed production is aimed at addressing this first stage of cultivation. Scientists and industry representatives will work together to improve access to planting material that meets defined quality standards.
For farmers, the benefit will depend on how quickly the improved planting material becomes available through sugar mills and other agricultural channels.
Research and Industry Work Together
The partnership brings together agricultural research and the sugar industry.
ICAR-ISRI contributes scientific expertise in sugarcane research, while ISMA represents sugar and bio-energy companies that have a direct connection with the crop’s production and processing chain.
This connection can help ensure that research is linked to practical requirements in commercial sugarcane production.
Sugar mills have a direct interest in maintaining healthy and productive cane supplies because the quality and quantity of sugarcane entering mills affect the wider processing chain.
What It Could Mean for Farmers
The new centre could give sugarcane growers better access to scientifically produced planting material and reduce dependence on inconsistent sources.
If the system expands successfully, farmers could benefit from stronger crop establishment, improved plant health and more uniform fields. Better planting material can also support the adoption of improved sugarcane varieties.
The centre is not a direct subsidy programme for farmers. Its main purpose is to strengthen the supply of quality planting material.
The success of the initiative will depend on production capacity, timely distribution and whether farmers can obtain the material at a reasonable cost.
For Uttar Pradesh’s sugarcane growers, the centre could become an important link between agricultural research and field-level production. By improving the quality of the material used at the beginning of the crop cycle, ICAR-ISRI and the sugar industry are targeting one of the basic factors that can influence sugarcane productivity.
Also Read: Punarnava Jal – The world’s first organic fertilizer! Know how it is beneficial for farmers?
Contact us – If farmers want to share any valuable information or experiences related to farming, they can connect with us via phone or whatsapp at 9599273766 or you can write to us at “kisanofindia.mail@gmail.com”. Through Kisan of India, we will convey your message to the people, because we believe that if the farmers are advanced then the country is happy.
You can connect with Kisan of India on Facebook, Twitter, and Whatsapp and Subscribe to our YouTube channel.