ICAR researchers find sugarcane/corn intercropping can boost Indian ethanol
In India, sugarcane is grown across 5.4 million hectares, with Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu leading in production. Traditionally cultivated as a monocrop, sugarcane provides income to farmers only once a year after a long growing period of 10–15 months. During this time, farmers often depend on middlemen or moneylenders to meet household expenses. At the same time, sugar mills operate only for 3–5 months annually, restricting ethanol production to a limited window, even though sugarcane currently meets 30–35% of India’s ethanol requirement.
To address this gap, the ICAR–Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana, developed an innovative Sugarcane + Maize (SM) intercropping system under the flagship project “Enhancement of Maize Production in the Catchment Area of Ethanol Industries” supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India. The approach was designed to accelerate land productivity, ensure round-the-year feedstock supply for dual-feed ethanol distilleries, and enhance farmer incomes.
Category: Research
