Use tech to boost sugar production: Minister

Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque has called for using modern technology to increase sugarcane cultivation and sugar production.

“Our sugar mills are old and so is the production technology. Sugarcane cultivation will be profitable if we can boost production and productivity,” he said at the inauguration of a training course on the use of technology in sugar crop cultivation in Tangail on Friday.

Speaking virtually, he recommended cultivating other crops with sugarcane to make it profitable and encourage farmers.

Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute (BSRI), which organised the programme, has developed 48 varieties of sugarcane to meet the growing demand.

With its current production capacity, Bangladesh can meet about 5 per cent of its annual demand. The country heavily depends on imported sugar to meet its annual demand of 1.4 million tonnes. Private refiners import raw sugar mostly from Brazil. 

Per kg sugar production cost soared to Tk 300 in the last fiscal year. Nine mills produced 48,000 tonnes in FY21, while the production was 82,140 tonnes by 15 mills in FY19-20. 

In the last fiscal year, the government halted production at six mills to rein in the sustained losses that contributed to higher production costs.

Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation said it incurred Tk 933.61 crore loss in FY19-20.

BSRI Director-General Amjad Hossain, who presided over Friday’s programme, said that they are giving importance to developing and expanding cultivable varieties and technologies in places where other crops are less cultivated.  

“We are emphasising the cultivation of sugarcane in flood-prone, waterlogged, char, haor, saline and hilly areas,” he said.