Increase sugar production

Sugar is one of the oldest commodities in the world. In Bangladesh it is produced from sugarcane. Unfortunately, sugarcane has been a somewhat neglected crop in the remarkable success story that is Bangladesh agriculture. However, that may change soon. According to a report published in this newspaper on Thursday Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque called for using modern technology to increase both sugarcane cultivation and sugar production. At present, Bangladesh can meet only about five per cent of its annual demand of 1.4 million tonnes. Naturally the country depends heavily on imported sugar to meet its annual. Sugarcane and sugar are obviously are closely interrelated and the authorities concerned should take necessary measures to boost the sector in order to lessen sugar import. Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute (BSRI) has so far developed 48 varieties of sugarcane to meet the growing demand.

Sugar has been a bittersweet problem for the Bangladesh economy. The state-owned sugar mills have been producing each kilogram of sugar for as much as Tk 324 although the product's market price is only T k60. Sugar produced by the heavily subsidised mills fails to meet the local demand mainly due to a scarcity of sugarcane, forcing the government to procure the rest from the private sector.

BSRI has developed and recommended a good numbers of sugarcane production technologies from planting to harvesting. The technologies include releasing of a large number of high yielding, high sugar content, diseases and pest resistant sugarcane varieties, intercropping with sugarcane, spaced transplanting technology, ratoon management technology, diseases and pest management technology, updating the fertilizer dose for 12 agro-ecological zones and development of some important implements for sugarcane cultivation.

According to economists, Bangladesh’s sugar mills are uncompetitive mostly for their high production cost and the import of cheap sugar has turned their condition from bad to worse. The government has been actively pursuing potential foreign investors since 2019, more than a year before it suspended cane crushing in six of the 15 state-owned sugar mills in December 2020, but it is yet to find any prospective party interested in modernising the sugar industry.

Sugarcane is grown in almost all areas in Bangladesh, but most of it is produced in Rajshahi, Natore, Pabna, Kuhstia, Chuadanga, Panchagar, Joypurhat and Thakurgaon districts. Because of available raw materials, most of the sugar mills are located in these areas. Cultivation of sugar cane crop is carried out mainly for crushing purpose to obtain sugar, jaggery, molasses and other products. By-products like alcohol used in pharmaceutical industry, ethanol used as a fuel, bagasse used for paper-making and chipboard manufacturing and press mud used as a rich source of organic matter that adds to soil fertility are derived after cane is crushed. Sugarcane is the current benchmark first-generation feedstock for efficient biofuel production.

The world's biggest sugarcane producers in order are Brazil, India, China, Thailand, Pakistan, Mexico, Colombia, Australia, Argentina, and the Philippines. Bangladesh should co-operate with them and try to use their expertise to increase the sugarcane yield.

More scientific research is necessary for improving the variety of sugarcane that will likely to reduce the gap of per acre yield between Bangladesh and other sugarcane producing countries. Research priorities and future thrust area should be to develop and promote mechanization in planting, interculture and harvesting. Authorities need to focus on development of specific agronomical practices for promising sugarcane genotypes suitable for different agroclimatic regions in Bangladesh. Emphasis should be given to proper management of sugarcane diseases and adoption of healthy seed production programme.

Like most other state-run entities burdened with losses, wastefulness and inefficiency, the sugar mills have also earned the white elephant tag, requiring hefty funds from the government exchequer every year to pay for their mounting losses. The government must take concrete measures to reduce losses by increasing their production capacity. Corruption and inefficiencies must not be tolerated at all. Sugar mills cannot incur losses forever and a way out must be found. The sugar mills must be modernized. And the private sector should be encouraged to invest more in the sector.