Bhubaneswar, July 13: The Odisha government has unveiled an ambitious plan to boost sugar production in the state by reviving the Badamba Sugar Mill, promoting large-scale sugarcane cultivation and establishing a dedicated research campus at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).

The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Anu Garg. As part of the initiative, the Badamba Sugar Mill will be revived at an estimated cost of Rs 360 crore, while the Nayagarh Sugar Mill is also expected to resume operations in the near future.

To ensure a steady supply of sugarcane for the mills, OUAT has been entrusted with developing advanced technologies and high-yielding varieties through a dedicated sugarcane research campus.

OUAT Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pravat Kumar Roul said the university will focus on developing high-yielding, drought-tolerant and pest-resistant sugarcane varieties that are also suitable for ethanol production. The research centre will also work on improving commercial cultivation practices and enhancing productivity.

The university plans to promote modern cultivation techniques, including bud chip technology, pre-germinated seedlings, tissue culture and micro-propagation, to improve the quality of planting material and increase yields.

OUAT will also standardise profitable sugarcane-based intercropping systems to help farmers diversify their income. Training programmes will be organised on the use of nano-fertilisers, water-soluble fertilisers, farm mechanisation and other scientific cultivation practices.

The research campus will identify suitable agro-climatic zones for sugarcane cultivation across Odisha and develop eco-friendly pest and disease management models that minimise the use of chemical pesticides. It will also focus on sugarcane processing, value addition, product diversification and bio-economy initiatives.

To promote rural entrepreneurship, OUAT will provide technical training for organic jaggery production and other value-added sugarcane products. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will also be integrated into research and extension activities wherever required, Prof. Roul said.

According to official data, sugarcane is currently cultivated on 19,200 hectares in Odisha, producing nearly 1.453 million tonnes annually with an average productivity of 75.68 tonnes per hectare. The major sugarcane-growing districts include Koraput, Nabarangpur, Cuttack, Jajpur, Dhenkanal and Nayagarh.

Although the area under sugarcane cultivation has declined from 20,780 hectares to 19,200 hectares in recent years, and total production has fallen from 1.502 million tonnes to 1.453 million tonnes, average productivity has improved from 72.27 tonnes to 75.68 tonnes per hectare.

Officials believe the initiative will help Odisha contribute to India's target of achieving 20 per cent ethanol blending by 2030, strengthen domestic biofuel production and create new opportunities in sugarcane-based industries, including jaggery, packaged sugarcane juice and other value-added products.

OUAT has already developed six sugarcane varieties for cultivation in the state. Four early-maturing varieties—Sabita, Nilamadhab, Nilachakra and Kalinga Akhu-346—and two medium-duration varieties, Raghunath and Charchika, are expected to play a key role in enhancing productivity and supporting the state's sugar industry.