Union minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted the economic potential of a new sugarcane variety with a 14 per cent sugar recovery rate, stating that it could increase Maharashtra’s economic output by ₹25,000 crore.
At the silver jubilee event of the Saturday Club Global Trust in Nagpur, Gadkari said, “Brazil has developed a sugarcane breed through biotechnology that offers a 14 per cent sugar recovery. Using a similar variety in Maharashtra could positively impact our state’s economy by ₹25,000 crore.”
“Kolhapur district currently records the highest sugar recovery in Maharashtra, at around 12 to 12.5 per cent, while Vidarbha lags at approximately 11.25 per cent. Even a 1 per cent increase in sugar recovery translates to gains of ₹7 to ₹8 crore,” he noted, highlighting the substantial economic benefits of improved sugarcane breeds.
The minister mentioned that he had provided the Vasantdada Sugar Institute with comprehensive information about the high-yielding variety and requested it to develop a breed tailored to local conditions. “Anyone who understands demand and supply can succeed. If you identify what is in short supply and produce it, there is profit,” he said.
