CANE CONCERNS AND SOLUTIONS

Transforming the sugarcane farming system

WHAT WE ARE

CATIONS is a company constituted to transform few prominent concerns related to the traditional way of sugarcane farming, production of jaggery, street marketing of fresh juice and eco-friendly utilization of bagasse and dry leaves (trash). Starting with the production of true to type, disease free cultivars of certified variety of sugarcane plants developed from a single bud, the company has successfully completed all the steps of a startup venture from prototype to product validation until commercialization. The ready to transplant saplings were supplied to ten selected progressive farmers by complying the policy of commitment to transform the traditional farming system with these single bud saplings in corroboration of sustainable development goals.

VISION: To become a national leader in solving issues pertaining to traditional sugarcane farming system, jaggery production, fresh juice marketing and trash & bagasse management.

Mission: Dedicated to conserving the inputs and resources to safeguard environmental concerns involved in sugarcane cropping, processing and post harvest management in accordance with Sustainable Development Goals.

HOW THE IDEA GENERATED?

Our chairman Dr. N. K. Pruthi cited a research paper published from Sugar Cane Breeding Station, Coimbatore about the production of sugarcane plants by a single bud of mature sugarcane. Observing the advantages of this technology he decided to disseminate the technology among the farmers of North India and determined to transform the traditional model of sugarcane farming by providing these saplings to farmers to increase their present level of income and to save the revenue by regulating the inputs, water and the environment. The company has decided to establish a jaggery production unit maintaining the protocol of hygiene and the limits of pollution, because Jaggery is most promising sugar substitute rich in minerals, low in sugar content, used frequently in making sweets and other edibles locally produced by cottage industries in unhygienically conditions by crossing all the limits of pollution. Fresh sugarcane juice is relished by majority of customers has incredible health benefits loaded with carbohydrates, proteins and minerals making it a healthy drink which is currently marketed by Street vendors installing their system along the road sides in dusty and fly prone areas. The company has to replace these outlets by S S fabricated juice extraction machines or by installing a juice bottling plant. Dry leaves (Trash) are left behind after harvesting and burnt by farmers due to cumbersome in collection and logistic. Trash burning emit noxious gases pollute the environment, convert into smog causing health and visibility issues, disturb soil ecology, deplete soil carbon & nutrition. Therefore, we are committed to manage the trash efficiently by transforming in value added products.

ESTABLISHMENT OF COMPANY

The journey was started from mass multiplication and production of single bud sugarcane plants (saplings) during the month of September 2021 in IIMT University Meerut.  After achieving a successful prototype of the concept and validation leading for its commercialization, a startup company was constituted and registered on 31 st Jan 2022 in the name and style of CANE CONCERNS AND SOLUTIONS PVT LTD taking initiative jointly by three shareholders.

INNOVATION

Since, we are associated with the Incubation center of IIMT University, Meerut, all research and developmental activities leading to the conversion of the concept in a startup venture are performed jointly by School of Agricultural Sciences (SoAS) and Incubation Cell. We have constituted a forum of research scientists/ technocrats to discuss on different R&D issues pertaining to sugarcane concerns for continuous improvements.

HOW WE WORK?

We have constituted an efficient organizational structure of our company to fulfil and achieve the needs and objectives of the company. Our aim is the supply of high-quality sugarcane plants to the farmers by adopting meticulous cultural processes in nursery beds of a certified variety recommended by sugar mill. After selection and procurement of quality seed, the rapid and mass multiplication plan is made involving our expertise and precision to ensure the highest quality produce as per customer’s satisfaction. Our expert team monitor and guide the farmers with the planting methodology, crop geometry, intercropping and cultural practices, crop management etc. by visiting at their field to ensure crop quality and yield throughout the cropping cycle.

TRANSFORMING THE TRADITIONAL FARMING SYSTEM-THE NEED OF HOUR

CONCERNS OF CANE

Saving in seed cane:

Traditional sugarcane farming system involve 6-7 ton per hectare seed cane in the form of sets of two to three buds (eye) mature sugarcane pieces which involve lots of burden in logistic make a cumbersome task to farmers for its treatment. The well treated single bud (weighed 10-12 gm) plants prepared by us (CATION saplings) require only one-ton seed cane per hectare, thus, a net saving will be @ 6 ton per hectare. Considering the area under cane (2021-22) in UP state which was reported around 23 lakh hectares, the gross saving of sugarcane would be around 138 lakh ton say 13 million ton, out of that an additional sugar around 1.3-million-ton can be produced.

Varietal replacement

In general, farmers do not treat their seed before placing in the fields, this practice makes vulnerable a good quality seed against contamination through soil and air born pathogen making a diseased cultivar in due course of time. Hence, a good quality cultivar/ variety is declared unfit for farmers for further sowing. The replacement of these diseased cultivar needs by an alternate new variety within short span of time is a tedious task among scientists and breeders, thus making an untoward situation among mill owners and farmers. The single bud ready to transplant saplings (CATION saplings) are prepared from diseased free certified variety of sugarcane in hygienically well sanitated conditions with proper treatment of pesticides within very short span of time  making a precious variety fit for farmers for a long time.

Water conservation

Water is precious, sugarcane crop is water intensive crop and consume about 2500 L water to produce one kilogram of sugarcane, consuming about 1500-2000 mm water during the whole cropping cycle. The ready to transplant sugarcane saplings (CATION) are transplanted in a single or double row, maintaining a distance of 4-5 feet apart in row to row and 1.5 feet apart from plant to plant in the trenches. These trenches are required to irrigate either by flooding irrigation system or by putting a drip irrigation system, thus saving about 40% of water.

Productivity enhancement

The  module developed for CATION planting is also feasible for an organic method of cultivation for maintaining an efficient nutrient management. The system is feasible to increase height and weight of sugarcane due to an easy inter-cultural operations, which enable to initiate more tillers converting into more numbers of millable canes than traditional farming system. The module emphasizes the effective utilization of space available in between row to row to take a short duration crop generate an additional income of farmers.

Crop Dynamics

The traditional cropping system involves an intense cropping design with a narrow spacing 2.0- 2.5 foot between row to row and 5-9 inch plant to plant (depends on the size of internodes present in seed cane). Since, Sugarcane is a C4 crop, it can utilize Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) more efficiently, resulting in more food (carbohydrate) synthesis in the leaves. So, we recommend a wide spacing 4-5 foot between row to row and 1.5-2.0 feet between plant to plant which have remarkable benefits. The wide spacing between rows not only provide a better room for carbohydrate synthesis by enabling the crop with more air and sunlight but also, provide a congenial environment to take out some short duration crops and make feasible for various intercultural operations such as trash removal from standing cane recommended to enhance cane thickness, mulching in the interspace with its own trash to regulate the moisture, managing pest and weeds and to increase soil carbon status etc. The short duration intercrop will provide an additional income which account to net productivity.

Board of Directors

Dr. N.K Pruthi
nkpruthi2007@yahoo.co.in

Rajesh Kumar
rksinghb12@gmail.com

Yaspal Sing
yashpalshrivas9@gmail.com

Shivansh Bhardwaj
Shivanshbhardwaj87@gmail.com

Advisory Board

Dr. A.K. Singh, Director, SRI, RPCAU, Pusa(Bihar)

40 years R & D experience in sugarcane farming and production  technology, presently, working as Director, Sugarcane Research Institute,
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa
Samastipur (Bihar)

Dr. S.K. Taneja (Retired)

45 years experience as Manager to General Manager (Cane) in different sugar-mills. Worked as Professional Planner and Strategy maker for sugarcane development and procurement, now settled in UAE

Dr. V.P. SINGH (Retired)

Former Vice Chancellor and Dean Rajendra Agricultural University, Member RAC, IISR Lucknow More than 40 years’ experience of sugarcane breeding ,growth and productivity

Dr. Narendra Singh (Retired)

Worked as scientist in Sugarcane breeding station, Karnal (Haryana). Advisor , Balrampur Sugar mill Gularia (Kheri) UP.  40 years  experience of sugarcane breeding ,growth and productivity

Mr J L Jain(Retired)

 More than 45 years of experience in sugarcane development and planning management in different sugar mills. Working as advisor and consultant in Sugar mills.

SERVICES

  • Strategic planning and policy management for Agricultural Farm land development to raise the present level of productivity of sugarcane crop planted by certified variety from single bud (Cation) plants situated in an appropriate climatic condition suits to Sugarcane crop.
  • Making a project feasibility report as per business plan with Policy Formulation for establishment of organic and hygienically jaggery manufacturing plant.
  • Replacement of sugarcane juice extraction vending machines for the lovers of fresh cane juice drinkers.
  • Establishment of Research & Development center to investigate new biological clarifier used to clear the sugarcane juice impurities in jaggary making process and another new products development.
  • Establishment of a Tissue Culture lab to produce and supply true to type sugarcane saplings for farmers at competitive rates.
  • Transformation of Trash in a value added product by ecofiendly manufacturing process.

NURSERY MANAGEMENT of CATION PLANTS

  1. Take an appropriate grow-media and plastic trays of 50-70 cavities(Pro-Trays). Fill each cavity by 3/4 with this media.
  2. Put well treated healthy buds in these cavities keeping the eyes of each bud in upside mode.
  3. Cover these buds with the same media by maintaing proper moisture.
  4. The trays are kept for 4-5 days by making a stack and covered tightly by poly sheets and keep in shade or in a room.
  5. If the ambient temperature is chilled or cool then create artificial warmth through electrical devices for sprouting. This is the utmost need for sprouting the buds and coming out of root primordia in a nursery.
  6. The well sprouted budded trays are kept in rows and keep moisten by irrigating them daily in the evening for the next 15-20 days.

After reaching the 5-6 leaf stage, the plants are ready for transplanting. The trays are sorted to refill the damaged or unsprouted plants and then transported to the farmer’s field.

Get in touch

Contact us

Registered officeB-12 Ganga Sagar, Ganga Nagar, Meerut UP 250001 (INDIA)

                                Cane Concerns and Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

B-12, Ganga Sagar, Ganga Nagar, Meerut 250001

                              Contact: 8076974116, 9456261446