MESSAGE FROM SH. J.J. BHAGAT - PRESIDENT - STAI

The Sugar Technologists Association of India is an all India organization having members from all the Sugar Mills, Engineering Companies and other institutions connected with Sugar Industry in India.  The basic objective of the association is the knowledge management for the industry by way of capturing, enhancing, promoting and sharing of knowledge to contribute to the development of Sugar Industry with improvements in operating efficiencies and production, both in field and factories, carrying out or sponsoring of schemes of applied research work as per needs of the Industry and audit of efficiencies is also done.

Pursuing the objectives of the Association, the association launched few initiatives, which got good and welcome response, these are:

-   Industry’s need based coordinated and participative applied research  involving factory and associations experts.

-    Revision and updating of system of Technical Control book

-    Technical Audit / Advisory services

-    Developments of plans for launch of Sugar Cane mission.

-    Development and patenting of design of Bagasse drier in Association with Ugar Sugar Works.

-    Initiating R & D work for developing process for treatment of surplus water to potable quality.

-    Participation in ISSCT and SIT workshops.

-    Holding of regional seminars on vital issues like

-    Energy Management

-    Juice Extraction Technologies

-    Soil health Management

-    Water and resources management and Environmental issues.

-    Up gradation of STAI website

-    Activation of employment Exchange. Etc.

-    Recruitment, Consultancy and training services

Sugar Situation:

India has at present 567 sugar factories out of which 485 are operational for reasons of paucity of cane.  Of the 567 factories 316 belong to the cooperative sector, 189 to the private sector and 62 to the public sector.  The total installed capacity is about 19 million tons per day.  During last 3 / 4 years the Sugar Industry in India has seen wide fluctuations in production.  From the peak production of 20.3 Million in 2002 – 03 it fell down to 13.8 Million and 12.8 Million Tons which are much below the country’s consumption of about 19 Million tons.  This shortage could be easily managed with the carried forward surpluses and some imports. 

Fortunately, the production cycle has got reversed and now we are expecting production of about 17 million tons during the current season.  As of now the sugar production is not alarming.  The sugar year started with a carry over of 4.5 million and with the expected production of about 17 million there should not be any problem of sugar availability in the country.  In fact this has resulted in nursing a number of units back to health with improved realization and thus we can look forward to a promising and stable out look in the coming year.

Challenges Before the Sugar Industry :

Ö        Formation of Sugar Cane Mission  -  The requirement of sugar for the next 5  years is estimated to be 24.5 million tons and by next 10 years, 30 million tons per year.  The challenge is how will this be achieved.

Ö        The country had gone up to 4.5 million hectares of land in sugar cane in 2002-03 when the production of sugarcane was 20.1 million tons.   The productivity of sugar per hectare, per year is at about 6.5 to 6.6 tons per hectare, which is very low.  If productivity does not go up, the land under sugarcane will have to go up, but land is not elastic and that is not possible because we need land for other crops as well.  The only option available is to increase the productivity & that is where the technological inputs both in the field and factory will become essential.

Ö        Keeping the above facts in view, the STAI made a suggestion to the Hon`ble Union Agriculture Minister Sh. Sharad Pawarji for establishment of the Sugarcane Mission with the overall responsibility of boosting up of the productivity of the sugarcane.  The Hon`ble Minister had been kind enough to accept our recommendation and has directed the concerned Ministry to form the norms for establishment of the Sugarcane Mission.

Ö        Cost of Production of Sugar  -  The cost of cultivation of cane and as such the cane prices are increasing and so is the cost of sugar that needs to be contained

Ö        By-Products from Sugar Industry  -  Sugar alone if made out of cane will not be able to sustain the economy of the industry thus multi product of sugar cane needs to be fully exploited to simultaneously produce power, paper, chemicals, fertilizers etc.

Ö        Co-Generation  -  The industry has taken co-generation recently, generating up to about 70 units of electricity per ton of cane.  It is learnt that the exploitable potential is of the order of 200 units of the power per ton cane through application of the gasification technology, as against the thermal route, which are now adopted.  Here, we need to join hands with international R&D facilities to quicken the process of development and adoption.

Ö        Alternate Process of Manufacture of Sugar - The sugar factories in India manufacture white sugar by following sulphitation process, which has its own problems of corrosion, pollution and high sulphur content.  Work on other suitable process options to manufacture better international quality needs to be hastened.

Ö        Environmental concerns like containment of air pollution and liquid affluent generation needs newer developments in technology.  The Govt. has now laid the limit of liquid discharge to be 100 liters per ton of cane, which by itself is serious challenge in view of generation of extra water in the factory.  Water management calls for serious attention.

        Studying the water situation closely, I am of the belief that the factories can run without exploitation of any more ground water.  Not only this, I foresee that in future, the factories should be able to produce potable water out of the water the sugar cane carries to the factories.

Ö        Over all efficiency of the sugar industry is closely related to the efficiency of farming of sugar cane and this area needs very close attention.

Since we have a long way to go and I request all members to actively contribute to the upliftment of Technical performance standards of the Industry.