CHENNAI: With sugar prices on the rise in recent weeks, the State government on Monday (August 31) announced a package of measures to improve productivity, identify varieties suited to mills, promote modern cultivation practices, and strengthen farmers' incomes.

Replying to the debate on demands, Agriculture-Farmers' Welfare Minister Vinoth said new sugarcane varieties would be identified and tested through field trials for their suitability to cooperative and public-sector sugar mills. "The field trials will help identify varieties suited to the requirements of sugar mills," he said.

The government will also promote newly released sugarcane varieties and demonstrate modern cultivation technologies in the fields of cooperative and public-sector mills. Demonstration plots will be used to assess the performance of new varieties and encourage farmers to adopt improved practices.

As part of the sugarcane initiative, 40 progressive farmers will be taken to the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Baramati in Maharashtra for five-day training on modern sugarcane technologies, including Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things-based applications.

The announcements come against the backdrop of a sharp rise in sugar prices. Retail sugar in Tamil Nadu, which touched Rs 72 a kg on August 24, fell to Rs 58 on August 29, while the Chennai retail price stood at Rs 63 on August 30.

Across India, the average retail price was Rs 64.24 a kg on August 30, around 30 per cent higher than a month earlier. The Centre has attributed the rise to lower-than-expected production, festive demand, weather-related crop damage, and speculation and hoarding.

The State will also promote high-pungency chilli varieties in low-rainfall districts, including Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Tenkasi, and Tirunelveli, focusing on better yield, pungency and disease resistance.

A separate programme will seek to raise the productivity and quality of betel leaf and improve farmers' returns.