Only with irrigation: rain gives too little of its water to count on
- Needs care: Risky: 29 irrigations short
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Suits: Soil 8/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 29 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 1,790 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 370 mm it can use in a normal year, and 340 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 24–37 °C on average, and survives 15–41 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 36 °C / 26 °C
- Jul 31 °C / 25 °C
- Aug 31 °C / 25 °C
- Sep 31 °C / 24 °C
- Oct 34 °C / 22 °C
- Nov 33 °C / 17 °C
- Dec 31 °C / 14 °C (outside its best range)
- Jan 30 °C / 13 °C (outside its best range)
- Feb 33 °C / 15 °C
- Mar 37 °C / 19 °C
- Apr 39 °C / 24 °C
- May 40 °C / 27 °C
- Jun 36 °C / 26 °C
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Soil
Soil for Sugarcane: 8 out of 10 (good).
- The pH here suits it.
- Many fields here are short of nitrogen, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of zinc.
- Most fields here are short of iron.
Likes pH 5.0–8.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 298 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Rain gives it too little of the water it needs, so there's no income figure on rain alone: grow it only with irrigation.
Priced at the government's fair and remunerative price for cane, ₹365 a quintal.
- ₹300 2021
- ₹300 2022
- ₹300 2023
- ₹330 2024
- ₹350 2025
Prices are usually best in May.
Typical costs are about ₹61,000 an acre (seed, fertiliser, labour and hired machines, from the government's cost survey). They are spent whatever the harvest.
How to make it work
The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 325 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
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Short of nitrogen Your soil is likely short of nitrogen.
Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.
About 97% of local fields of this crop get it.
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Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.
Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.
About 19% of local fields of this crop get it.
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Short of iron Your soil is likely short of iron.
Spray ferrous sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, when young leaves turn yellow.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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Short of boron Your soil is likely short of boron.
Mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
What local farmers put on it (share of fields):
- Urea 97%
- Muriate of Potash (MOP) 82%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 57%
- Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) 40%