The Gazetteers Department

Sugar-cane (oos) is one of the most important cash crops of the District. It is essentially a tropical crop and, for high outturns, moist hot climate and ample supply of water are necessary. The crop grows on a variety of soils ranging from light type to heavy ones. The best soil for the crop is the medium well-drained type having a depth of 24-30 inches. The soil is ploughed one or one and a half months prior to planting to a depth of 9-10 inches and brought into fine tilth by repeated harrowings. Planting is done from December to April. Early planting is always advisable, as the sprouted seedlings become sturdy and are not easily affected by stem-borers.

In Satara district, the cultivation of sugar-cane has increased considerably, especially in the canal areas, since the opening of the Nira and the Krishna canals. Sugar-cane is always taken as an irrigated crop. It is a twelve-month crop, planted in January-February. Land is well-tilled and pulverised and from twenty to thirty cart-loads of farmyard manure are spread in the furrows before planting. The distance between the furrows ranges from three to five feet. Furrows arc irrigated before planting. Again, at the time of earthing up, a dose of 150-200 lbs. of nitrogen is given per acre in the form of top-dressing of groundnut oil cakes and sulphate of ammonia, combined in equal proportions.

The average yield of sugar-cane is 30-35 tons per acre. The expenditure averages Rs. 1,200-1,500, and the income, Rs. 1,800-2,500, thereby leaving a net margin of Rs. 600-1,000 per acre. Pundia and EK 28 known for yielding jaggery (gul) were the main varieties grown in the district. These are being gradually replaced by improved ones.

The Sugar-cane Research Station at Padegaon, near Phaltan, has recommended that measures such as deep and timely ploughing with straight and long furrows, four feet apart, application of 100 lbs. of superphosphate, changing the seed once in five years, use of improved varieties such as CO 419, inter-culturing by bullock-drawn implements, trash-composting, planting in proper seasons, proper rotations, use of bhendi juice and superphosphate for purifying cane juice, etc., will go a long way to bring about an effective improvement in the cultivation of the crop.

The juice is eaten raw and used for preparing sugar and Jaggery (gul). The cane is crushed in iron crushers. Sugar-cane is a crop which exhausts the soil. As such it can not be grown in the same field from year to year but has to be rotated in alternate years with food crops. The stem-borer and top-shoot-borer are the major pests. These are controlled by spraying 0.25 per cent. D.D.T. or 5 per cent. benzene hexachloride. Pyrilla and grass-hopper are controlled by 5 per cent. benzene hexachloride and Red-rot and smut by avoiding ratooning and destroying the affected canes.

State-aid is available for starting sugar factories on a co-operative basis. Such factories are functioning at Phaltan and Julewadi.

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