Sagaing grows high-yielding varieties of sugarcane

Sagaing region is growing high-yielding varieties of sugarcane, it is learnt.
“The sugarcanes are grown typically in Katha and Htigyaing. There are also some sugarcane plantations in Kanbalu. Katha and Htigyaing townships are growing the sugarcane on a commercial scale. There is also a sugar mill there. Now, the Sagaing region is cultivating high-yielding varieties of sugarcane by further negotiating with the mill to determine the amount that can be purchased and produced,” said U Win Hlaing Oo, head of the Regional Agriculture Department.
More than 50,000 acres of sugarcane have been cultivated during the winter crop season in the Sagaing region. It has been sowed since October 2021 according to the Agriculture Department.
“The cultivation of sugarcane cost over K600,000-K700,000 per acre. That yielded sugarcane is transported to Kanbalu Zigon sugar mill and Htigyaing Maunggon sugar mill. Then, the local farmers grind the sugarcane themselves and sell them as molasses. But the local farmers from Ayadaw township, Monywa district prefer to grow only for sugarcane juice,” said Daw Moe Mhee Tin, the deputy officer of Regional Agriculture Department.
According to the official statistics of the Agriculture Department, the Sagaing region grows 8,655 acres of sugarcane in Shwebo district, 456 acres of sugarcane in Kanbalu district, 44,295 acres of sugarcane in Katha district and 48 acres of sugarcane in Kawlin district,
High-yielding varieties of sugarcane such as K-95/84, Nawaday-4, Phawmozar, Hsin Shweli are grown in the Sagaing region using irrigated water. — Lu Lay/GNLM