Sugarcane Industries Department

These are three newly created districts, carved out from the old Shahabad district of Bihar. The region lies between the Ganges and the Sone River. The soil is alluvial, sandy and rich in organic matters and is most suitable for the cultivation of sugarcane. Earlier, there were three sugar factories located in this region at Bikramganj, Rohtas and Buxar. These were small capacity mills which, in the course of time, due to various reasons and factors became sick and closed down in the early seventies. The area is traversed by a network of canals originating from Indrapuri (Rohtas). There had been a strong cane cultivation culture at that time, but due to the closure of the sugar factories, the cane growers gradually switched over to paddy and wheat cultivation. Since, sugarcane cultivation is more profitable than wheat and paddy cultivation, it is expected that the growers will readily switch to sugarcane cultivation if a sugar complex is established in this region thereby creating a renewed demand for sugarcane. The water table indicates availability of water at shallow depths and there is substantive availability of underground water. The rainfall pattern is conducive to cane cultivation. Based on eye estimation, cane cultivation was recorded in around 5000 ha. in Bhojpur and Buxar district in the season 2004-05 catering essentially to Gur/Khandsari manufacturers.

Navanagar in Buxar District, or any appropriate place in the adjoining area can be a potential site for establishing a sugar complex, and various Blocks of the above mentioned Districts can be included to form a compact and contiguous area of operation. More than five lakh ha. of cultivable area is available in this region, which have immediate potential of shifting to sugar cane cultivation.

These are two important districts of Eastern Bihar. The river Ganges flows through Bhagalpur and Badua-Belharna and Chandan rivers through Banka. The soil of this region is highly fertile and most suitable for cane cultivation. There is no sugar industry in this area but even then the farmers of Bhagalpur, Amarpur and adjoining areas of Banka have substantive areas under sugar cane cultivation. Eye estimate surveys in the year 2005-06 shows that cane was planted in approx 13087 hects. in these Districts. The sugarcane produced is sold to the Gur and Khandsari units as there has been no sugar factory in this region.

There is a network of irrigation canals, and substantive spread of bore wells as well as State tubewells. The rainfall is adequate and favourable for cane cultivation. There is also substantial underground water availability.

Setting up of new a sugar factories in this area will induce and motivate the farmers to switch over to cane cultivation since any cash crop is substantially more profitable than the paddy/ wheat regime.

The closed Warisaliganj unit of the Bihar State Sugar Corporation lies in the Nawada district with its area of operation spread in both the districts of Nawada and Nalanda. The plant was established in 1933, with the final upgraded capacity of 700 TCD. The unit is closed since 1993.

The land in this region is very fertile with availability of more than three lakh hectares of cultivable area.

Irrigation canal have been provided in this region, as also an effective coverage of state tube wells and private bore-wells. The water table is high with more than sufficient reservoir of underground water. Rainfall is adequate and conducive for cane crop cultivation. This region too has got a good potential of developing as a sugarcane producing region.   

The land of these two districts is also very fertile. The area has a canal irrigation system along with adequate coverage of State tubewells and private borewells. The water table is high with substantive ground water reserves. Rainfall is also sufficient and favourable for cane cultivation. The closed Guraru unit of the Bihar State Sugar Corporation (850 TCD, 1933 Plant) is just 0.5 Km from the Head quarter of District Gaya.

There was substantive sugarcane cultivation in this region prior to the closing of the sugar mill. Since then, in the absence of a sugar factory, the growers inevitably switched to other crops. Nevertheless, sugarcane cultivation for juice and gur/khandsari manufacture in about 1500 ha. has been estimated by an eye estimation survey in the season 2005-06. The region has more than 4 lakh ha. of rich cultivable area, which is sufficient to take care of a plant of more than 10000 TCD. A sugar complex to set up in this region can convert this area to an ideal sugarcane producing area.

These are three important districts in the north East of Bihar. The Northern boundary of Araria & Kishanganj borders with Nepal while the eastern portion of Kishanganj and Purnea is adjecent to northern portion of West Bengal. The National Highway no. 57 connecting Assam with the other parts of the country passes through Purnea. The river Mahananda flows through Kishanganj & Purnea districts.

The soil of this region is highly fertile and is most suitable for cane cultivation. The closed “Banmanki Sugar Unit of Bihar State Sugar Corporation (1000 TCD, 1970 Plant) is just 38 kms from the district Head quarter of Purnea. 

There was substantive sugar cane cultivation is this region prior to the closing of the sugar mill. Since, then in the absence of sugar Factory, the Growers have switched over to paddy, wheat, jute, tea and other corporation. Neverthless, sugarcane cultivation for juice and gur/khandsari manifacture in about 1500 hectors has been estimated in the season 2005-06. The area has a canal irrigation system along with adequate coverage of state tubewells and private bore wells. The land escape is slopy from north and the water table is high with substantive ground water reserves. Rainfall is also sufficient and favourable for cane cultivation.

The region has more than 3.5 lac hectors of rich cultivable area which can be converted into a sugarcane producing area with the setting up of a sugar complex in the region. The area can be surveyed for an appropriate site for sitting up of a sugar complex in any of the three districts.

Note: It may also be noted that of the total cultivable area of around 54 lakh hectares in Bihar, only around 2.30 lakh hectare (approx 4.5%) is under cane cultivation as against the approx 70% cane area coverage in the sugar sector areas in UP.