Current status and challenges to sugarcane crop in Pakistan: A review

Abstract

In Pakistan sugarcane is an important agricultural cash crop after cotton. Availability of cultivated land resources and competition between supply of energy and various other commodities like food, sugar, milk and grain have some connotations worldwide. We analyzed internet databases and scientific papers to highlight key facts about the history, current status, distribution, and trends of sugarcane cultivation in Pakistan. Results of this analysis showed that due to many constraints like insect pests, diseases, low yielding varieties and marketing imbalance, area under sugarcane cultivation and yield is very low. Therefore, increased investment in research and policies are needed to increase production of sugarcane. At micro level, it is very crucial to aware the sugarcane growers about the alternative beneficial methods of cultivation and at the macro level making of policies to enhance the efficiency of agriculture. Sowing time, type of soils, selection of varieties, utilization of various other inputs and availability of irrigational water has a great puff on the cultivation of sugarcane crop. When considering input costs and sugarcane productivity, key inputs include urea, DAP, potash, irrigation water, farmyard manure, seed costs, and labor for harvesting. © 2019 The Author(s)