International Journal of Advanced Research in Botany (IJARB) Volume 3, Issue 2, 2017, PP 13-17 ISSN 2455-4316 (Online) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20431/2455-4316.0302003 www.arcjournals.org ©ARC Page | 13 A Study on Sugarcane Production in India T.S. Krishnamoorthy Durgesh Nandhini Lady Doak College, Madurai, India Venkittanaranappa Padmavathy The American College, Madurai, India Abstract: India is the largest producer and consumer of sugar in the World. About 45 million sugarcane farmers, their dependents and a large agricultural force, constituting 7.5 percent of the rural population, are involved in sugarcane cultivation, harvesting and ancillary activities. This enabled India to become the largest producer of sugarcane and sugar in the world leaving the other major producers Brazil and Cuba. 1 The major sugarcane crop growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The sugarcane cultivation and sugar industry in India plays a vital role towards socio-economic development in the rural areas by mobilizing rural resources and generating higher income and employment opportunities. The major problem of sugarcane in India is based on monsoon and water supply. The cyclical nature in sugar production has caused distortions in the export of sugar in India. This study analyzes the state-wise production and reasons for the changes in production of sugarcane in the time period of 2000-2010. 1. INTRODUCTION India has been known as the original home of sugarcane and sugar. India is the second largest producer of sugar in the World after Brazil and produces more of cane sugar and not beet sugar. Sugarcane is the important commercial crop of the country. In India, sugarcane is the key raw material, planted once a year during January to March. It is the major cost driver for the production of sugar. The following chart 1 indicates the region and states producing sugarcane. Chart 1 indicating the region and the states involved in sugarcane production in India REGION STATES Subtropical Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana Tropical Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka The production of sugar is spread across the country. In the above states, they are classified into three groups according to its production capacity. They are, the high sugar producing states are Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The second category was the medium sugar producing states. They are Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Haryana. The remaining States are low producing States. They were Bihar and Assam. 2 Achievements of sugarcane production in various plans of India are explained in the table 1. Table 1. Achievements of sugarcane production in various plans Plans Sugarcane (in million tonnes) Target Actual First Plan 63 60 Second Plan 78 104 Third Plan 100 127 Fourth Plan 150 140 1 c 2 Misra.S.K., Puri.V.K., Indian Economy, Himalaya Publishing House, Chennai 2010, P.537