Dharmapuri: The ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI) here recently organised a training programme on “Improved sugarcane technologies for tribal farmers” for sugarcane growers from the tribal settlements of Sittilingi valley, nestled between the Kalvarayan and Sitheri hills, in Dharmapuri district. The programme was implemented under the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribe Component (DAPSTC) project.
As part of the project, a team from ICAR-SBI visited the Sittilingi valley in April, where some tribal communities cultivate sugarcane and supply it to the nearby co-op sugar mills. Based on field interactions and constraints reported by farmers, ICAR-SBI in Coimbatore proposed a structured training programme in two phases this September in Coimbatore to enhance productivity and address location-specific challenges.
Dr P. Govindaraj, Director, ICAR-SBI, highlighted the mounting challenges facing the sugarcane sector in Tamil Nadu compared with other states. He noted that the area under sugarcane in Dharmapuri district has declined sharply from over 7,000 hectares in 2011. Emphasising the need to adopt new, high-yielding varieties, he urged farmers to follow scientific practices to manage emerging pests and diseases, thereby making sugarcane cultivation more profitable.”
Dr P. Govindaraj, Director, ICAR-SBI, highlighted the mounting challenges facing the sugarcane sector in Tamil Nadu compared with other states. He noted that the area under sugarcane in Dharmapuri district has declined sharply from over 7,000 hectares in 2011. Emphasising the need to adopt new, high-yielding varieties, he urged farmers to follow scientific practices to manage emerging pests and diseases, thereby making sugarcane cultivation more profitable.”
Dr D. Puthira Prathap, Principal Scientist and nodal officer of the DAPSTC project, explained that tribal participation in sugarcane farming remains limited in the state.
The training modules were designed to address key constraints in Dharmapuri, including drought management, white grub control, and the promotion of appropriate mechanisation in sugarcane cultivation.
In addition to the lectures and farmer–scientist interactions, the participants were taken to sugarcane research fields to observe improved varieties and crop management practices. They were also shown sugarcane machinery, the sugarcane-based integrated farming system demonstration unit, and a live demonstration of a ‘sett-treatment’ device.
Seed material of the newly released high-yielding mid-late variety Co 21003 was handed over to Subramaniya Siva Co-operative Sugar Mills in Dharmapuri for multiplication and distribution among tribal sugarcane growers.
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