ABSTRACT
The present study was conducted because of significant production and consumption of sugarcane in Tami Nadu. This chapter explores the impact of SSI on resource conservation, energy saving and economic returns in sugarcane cultivation. The results showed that the productivity and profitability of sugarcane cultivation were more under SSI technology than the conventional method. The major sources of productivity enhancement under SSI were fertilizers, drip irrigation, micro-nutrients, and deployment of labor. Under the SSI method, a substantial amount of water (40%) and electricity (55%) consumption was reduced compared to the conventional method. Low procurement price, limited drip irrigation subsidy, clogging in the drip system and less availability of quality seed materials were the major constraints faced by the farmers. The recommended policy options for improving sugarcane production and its profitability are: upscale the adoption of drip irrigation and its subsidy, increase the availability of technical services to remove the clogs and impart periodical training to farmers on SSI technology.
