Cane Varieties Field Day showcases innovations to boost sugar industry

The Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, in collaboration with the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority (MCIA), organised a Field Day on Cane Varieties, yesterday, at the MCIA in Réduit. It aimed at apprising planters of the latest innovations in the sugarcane sector.

The Field Day provided planters with an opportunity to discover three newly developed sugarcane varieties and gain a better understanding of the research and development process undertaken by the MCIA to produce improved cane varieties adapted to local conditions. Planters were also acquainted with the large-scale production of compost and attended a demonstration on the application of ripeners using drones.

The Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Dr Arvin Boolell; the Chief Executive Officer of the MCIA, Dr Suman Seeruttun; as well as other personalities were present on the occasion.

In his address, Minister Boolell underscored the importance of such initiatives in equipping planters with accurate and up-to-date information on modern cultivation practices and technological innovations. He urged participants to make full use of the Field Day by engaging with researchers and specialists, seeking guidance, and gaining practical knowledge that would contribute to enhancing productivity.

The Minister highlighted the opportunities for Mauritius to further expand niche markets for special sugars, particularly through existing trade arrangements with China and India. He emphasised the significant potential of the sugar industry, noting that despite current challenges, value addition presents promising avenues for enhancing the sector's growth.

Referring to the different sugarcane varieties developed by researchers, Dr Boolell indicated that each variety is adapted to specific soil conditions. He stressed the imperative of making scientific information readily accessible to planters to enable them to make informed decisions, particularly as climate change continues to pose increasing challenges to agricultural production.

Furthermore, the Minister acknowledged the commitment and hard work of the planter community while reaffirming Government's determination to supporting the sugarcane sector. He also dwelt on challenges facing the Sugar Investment Trust and stressed the need to further strengthen the resilience of the industry.

For his part, Dr Seeruttun outlined several measures aimed at revitalising the sector, including the rehabilitation of abandoned agricultural land for sugarcane cultivation, the forthcoming deployment of foreign labour to address workforce shortages, and the implementation of new irrigation systems. These initiatives, he indicated, are expected to support the achievement of the national target of producing 250,000 tonnes of sugar.

10 July 2026

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Topics: Agriculture