After all the talk about drought and the propriety of growing the water-guzzling sugarcane in drought-prone areas, Maharashtra is again on its way to planting sugarcane over a record area as the water levels in the state's reservoirs have risen by about 40% over the previous year, while prices of most other commodities have declined.
Maharashtra's highest area under cane was 10.54 lakh hectare in 2014-15, when the state had produced 105.14 lakh tonne sugar, its highest ever.
The area under the water-guzzling sugarcane is mainly dependent on the reservoir levels. The total water storage in Maharashtra stands at 83.20% at present compared with only 44.28% during same time previous year. The reservoirs in the drought-hit Marathwada region have been filled up to 75% of their capacity, as against only 7% last year.
"The area under sugarcane can be higher than 10 lakh hectare. There has been an increase in the FRP of cane this year and it may go up further next year too," said BB Thombare, president, Western Indian Sugar Mills Association.
Prices of most kharif commodities such as soyabean, cotton and onion have dropped substantially, while prices of tur are also expected to come down when the harvest begins from November/December.
"After the harvest of the standing kharif crops are over, especially that of soyabean, farmers will go for planting of cane," said Thombare.
With a steep fall in the sugarcane production in the current 2016-17 year, mills and farmers are trying hard to get enough cane for sowing operations. The perennially drought prone Solapur district has the highest number of sugar mills in the state. Ujani reservoir, the lifeline of entire Solapur district along with its sugar mills, has more than 100% water storage this year compared with only 13/15% last year.
Maharashtra's highest area under cane was 10.54 lakh hectare in 2014-15, when the state had produced 105.14 lakh tonne sugar, its highest ever.
The area under the water-guzzling sugarcane is mainly dependent on the reservoir levels. The total water storage in Maharashtra stands at 83.20% at present compared with only 44.28% during same time previous year. The reservoirs in the drought-hit Marathwada region have been filled up to 75% of their capacity, as against only 7% last year.
"The area under sugarcane can be higher than 10 lakh hectare. There has been an increase in the FRP of cane this year and it may go up further next year too," said BB Thombare, president, Western Indian Sugar Mills Association.
Prices of most kharif commodities such as soyabean, cotton and onion have dropped substantially, while prices of tur are also expected to come down when the harvest begins from November/December.
"After the harvest of the standing kharif crops are over, especially that of soyabean, farmers will go for planting of cane," said Thombare.
With a steep fall in the sugarcane production in the current 2016-17 year, mills and farmers are trying hard to get enough cane for sowing operations. The perennially drought prone Solapur district has the highest number of sugar mills in the state. Ujani reservoir, the lifeline of entire Solapur district along with its sugar mills, has more than 100% water storage this year compared with only 13/15% last year.