Rajshahi Sugar Mills (RSM) is getting revival as sugarcane farming is rising due to the farmer's keen interest in cultivating the cash crop in the mill zone during the current season.
RSM authority has adopted many time-fitting programmes to boost the sugarcane production through expanding farming for the sake of making the mill more functional and need-oriented.
"We are supplying fertilizer, seed and insecticides among the farmers to inspire them to the farming," said Shahjahan Kabir, Managing Director of RSM, adding they are holding meetings and farmers gathering regularly to attain the cherished goal. He said they set the target of bringing around 7,000 acres of land under sugar crop farming in the current season. Farmers had brought 3,357 acres of land under the cash crop farming in the previous year.
Kabir said they have manufactured 1,318 metric tonnes of sugar through crushing 24,000 tonnes of sugarcane in 19 working days in the current season. But, the mill authority recorded the crushing period as the lowest-ever in its history. He also said the government has raised the purchasing price of sugarcane, to ensure its fair price at growers' level, for the welfare of the farmers. Besides, steps have already been taken to diversify the products.
In the previous year, the mill manufactured 3,600 tonnes of sugar through crushing 63,000 tonnes of sugarcane in 52 working days.
RSM General Manager Maksuda Parveen said both acreage and number of farmers increased this year compared to the previous year. Around 4,185 farmers cultivated sugarcane on 24,000 acres of land in the mill zone last year.
"Boosting acreage of sugarcane farming and supplying those to the mills can be a vital means of survival of the mills," she identically mentioned, adding that the region has enormous prospects of boosting sugarcane yield to expected level and the farmers have a vital role to boost production of the cash crop.
Maksuda attributed that sugar has a vital role in the mental development of the young generation along with economic development of the nation. In this regard, she said per 100 ml sugarcane juice contain 90.2g water, 0.1g protein, 0.2g fat, 9.1g carbohydrate, 0.4g mineral, 10mg calcium, 10mg phosphorus, 1.1mg iron, 6 microgram carotene, 0.04mg riboflavin and 39 kilocalorie food energy.
There is an enormous prospect of getting the protein through substantial enhancement of the cash crop production that can help reduce family level protein deficiency. She added that regular in-take of sugar or molasses side by side with rice and other nutritious foods is very essential for the human body, especially the children for developing their mental power. Yeasin Ali, President of RSM Farmers Welfare Society, recommended a crop-rationing system so that the conventional crop diversification could be sustained.
Successful adoption of modern technologies is very vital to boost sugarcane production in the region, including its vast Barind tract to meet its mounting demand. Apart from this, modern varieties and technologies developed by Bangladesh Sugar Crop Research Institute (BSRI) can be an effective means of boosting sugarcane farming and its production, Ali added.
