Gadkari asks cane cultivators to increase yield through use of tech, AI

Latur, Nov 10 (PTI) Union minister Nitin Gadkari has urged sugarcane cultivators to increase yield for higher income and said they must use modern technology, including artificial intelligence, for this purpose.

For the sugar industry to remain profitable, production must exceed 60 tonnes per acre, he said.

"Sugarcane cultivators must increase yield using minimum water and fertilizers, and reducing costs. Farming is a science, and without using technology effectively, productivity cannot rise. Use of modern technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the agricultural sector has become essential if farmers are to get their due," he said.

"The sugar sector should not remain limited to sugar production. Factories must also focus on producing ethanol, biofuel, and aviation fuel. Only when the industry becomes an energy provider will the future of farmers and factories shine," Gadkari added.

The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways was speaking on Sunday at an event to mark the start of the 42nd crushing season of Shri Nilkantheshwar Shetkari Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana in Killari in Ausa tehsil here.

Local MLA Abhimanyu Pawar, who played a role in boosting the prospects of the factory, said farmers will receive Rs 3,011 per tonne of sugarcane this season. PTI COR BNM