₹90 Crore Global Centre of Excellence to Accelerate Sugarcane Breeding at Coimbatore's ICAR Institute
A new Centre of Excellence at the Indian Sugarcane Breeding Institute aims to slash variety development time from 14 to 8 years, backed by ₹45 crore each from the Union government and industry over four years.
The short answer
A Global Centre of Excellence for Accelerated Sugarcane Genetic Improvement is set to be established at the Indian Sugarcane Breeding Institute in Coimbatore at a total cost of ₹90 crore, split equally between the Union government and the sugar industry. The centre will cut the time needed to develop new sugarcane varieties from 14 years to 8 years, addressing mounting threats from pests, heat stress, and waterlogging that have already halved sugar mill operating days from 200 to 100 per year. A formal agreement is expected soon among the Union government, ICAR, ISMA, the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF), and the Institute.
The big announcement
A World-Class Breeding Hub for India's Sugarcane Belt
The Indian Sugarcane Breeding Institute in Coimbatore is set to host a Global Centre of Excellence for Accelerated Sugarcane Genetic Improvement, to be built at a total outlay of ₹90 crore. According to Harshvardhan Patil, president of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF), the Union government will contribute ₹45 crore with the balance to be funded by the sugar industry. Investments are to be deployed over the next four years.
A formal agreement is expected shortly, to be signed by the Union government, ICAR, the Indian Sugar and Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA), NFCSF, and the Institute itself. The centre will be equipped with trained personnel, world-class infrastructure, and international collaborations, according to the Institute's Director, P. Govindaraj.
The problem it solves
Declining Cane Output and Shrinking Mill Seasons Drive the Push
India's sugarcane sector is under mounting pressure. Patil noted that sugar mills, which once operated for nearly 200 days a year, now run for just 100 days — a sharp contraction that reflects falling cane availability caused by pests, adverse weather, high temperatures, and waterlogging.
Developing a new sugarcane variety through conventional breeding takes approximately 14 years — far too slow for a crop facing rapid climate shifts. The Coimbatore centre is designed to compress that timeline to eight years, giving breeders and farmers a faster pipeline of climate-adapted, high-yield varieties.
The new varieties on the research agenda will target:
- Higher yield and sugar recovery
- Tolerance to drought, flood, salinity, and heat stress
- Resistance to major diseases and pests
- Better ratooning ability
- Suitability for sugar, ethanol, bioenergy, and sustainable agriculture
Sugar mills in the country used to operate for almost 200 days a year. Now, they operate for just 100 days in a year. The Global Centre of Excellence that will come up in Coimbatore will develop new varieties in eight years.
The Tamil Nadu read
State Faces Heat-Driven Recovery Woes Despite Leading Productivity
Tamil Nadu presents a paradox in Indian sugar: the state ranks as the sixth largest sugar-producing state nationally but claims the highest productivity among all states, according to S. Arunraj, Additional Director of the Directorate of Sugar, Tamil Nadu.
Yet intense heat in sugarcane-growing regions has squeezed sugar recovery to just about 8%, and the area under the crop — currently 1.31 lakh hectares — is on a declining trajectory. Arunraj expressed confidence that new varieties developed at the Coimbatore centre would deliver improved sugar recovery for Tamil Nadu farmers.
On the production outlook, Arunraj indicated that Tamil Nadu's sugar output this season is expected to be broadly in line with last year's figures.
Technology & innovation
AI in the Field: Maharashtra's Model Eyes a Tamil Nadu Rollout
Beyond breeding, artificial intelligence is emerging as a near-term tool for sugarcane farmers. Patil highlighted that approximately two lakh sugarcane farmers in Maharashtra are already benefitting from AI-based interventions, and called on the Tamil Nadu government to extend similar support to farmers in the state.
Action is already in motion: Arunraj confirmed that a Tamil Nadu delegation will travel to Maharashtra to study the AI applications being used on sugarcane farms, with a view to introducing comparable systems in the state within the next few months.
A separate delegation from the NFCSF, led by Managing Director Prakash Naiknavare, visited sugarcane farms and facilities at the Sugarcane Breeding Institute in Coimbatore as part of the discussions around the centre's establishment.
Why it matters
With Tamil Nadu's sugar recovery languishing at around 8% amid extreme heat and 1.31 lakh hectares of sugarcane area already on a declining trend, faster varietal development could be a decisive lever for farmers and mills alike. For the broader industry, restoring mill operating days — halved from 200 to just 100 per year — hinges on varieties better suited to climate stress, and this centre directly targets that gap. Policymakers and agri-businesses should also watch the planned rollout of AI-based farming tools, with Tamil Nadu officials scheduled to visit Maharashtra's AI-enabled sugarcane farms within months.
Frequently asked
- What is the Global Centre of Excellence for Accelerated Sugarcane Genetic Improvement?
- It is a proposed research centre to be set up at the Indian Sugarcane Breeding Institute in Coimbatore at a cost of ₹90 crore. Its primary goal is to develop new sugarcane varieties in eight years, compared to the current timeline of approximately 14 years, with traits such as higher yield, better sugar recovery, and tolerance to climate stress.
- Who will fund the Coimbatore sugarcane Centre of Excellence?
- The total investment of ₹90 crore will be split equally, with the Union government contributing ₹45 crore and the sugar industry providing the remaining ₹45 crore. The funds will be deployed over four years.
- Why is Tamil Nadu's sugar recovery so low despite having the highest productivity?
- According to the Additional Director of the Directorate of Sugar, Tamil Nadu, extreme heat in sugarcane-growing areas has pulled sugar recovery down to just about 8%. The new varieties expected from the Coimbatore centre are intended to address this through enhanced heat tolerance and improved recovery rates.
- How is artificial intelligence being used in sugarcane farming in India?
- Approximately two lakh sugarcane farmers in Maharashtra are currently benefitting from AI-based farming tools, according to NFCSF president Harshvardhan Patil. Tamil Nadu is planning to study this model, with a state delegation set to visit Maharashtra within the next few months to explore adopting similar technology locally.
Source
This report summarises and analyses coverage from The Hindu — Agriculture. The analysis and India context are IndianAgri's own.
