ABSTRACT
Sugarcane cultivation on the earth can be found between 36.7°N and 31.0°S latitude and from sea level to 1000 m of altitude. In India, it is grown from latitude 8°N to 33°N latitude. On global basis, the contribution of sugarcane to the total sugar production recorded a quantum jump from 56 to 80% in the last two decades. This kind of trend is a clear indication that the dependence on sugarcane as raw material for sugar manufacture has also increased in countries producing sugar from sugar beet. Brazil is the largest producer of sugarcane (728.13 million tonnes) in the world from 19.2 m ha acres with the productivity of 78.85 t/ha (About 25% of world sugar and ethanol producer). India has the second position in area and production of sugarcane. Other important sugarcane producing countries are China (123.46 mt), Thailand (96.50 mt), and Pakistan (58.49 mt). Area under the crop in countries like Australia, Cuba, Indonesia, Mexico, and South Africa ranges between 51.73 to 0.7 m ha in each country (Table 2.1).
