• India ranks first among sugarcane-growing countries of the world in both extent and production of cane. Along with white sugar, Khandsari (indigenous) sugar and gur (jaggery) are also consumed in the country.
• Parthasarathy (1946) referred to Tamil classics of the Sangam period (2000BC) Pattirrup-pattu where refrences were made to growth, arrowing and cultivation.
• Caraka reported in 100BC about existence of two sugarcane types viz., iksh and Paundra.
• In 200 BC Patanjali mentioned that by about 400 BC sugarcane was familiar at Takshasila. There were citations on sugarcane during 800 BC in Atharva Veda and Manu in 1000 BC.
• Sugarcane was first mentioned in China during 286 AD (Bashan) and it was reported to be known in the period of Su-ma-siang Ju.
• After the time of Buddha, Indian sailors who possibly had contacts with Burma, Indonesia and Malaya would have brought Saccharum officinarum to India from Indonesia.
• Saccharum is the Latin name proposed by Linne in 1753 as a derivation from Karkara and Sakkara from Sanskrit and Prakrit.
• It is the opinion of many explorers that sugarcane had its origin in Saccharum barberi Jesweit of North India, and that Saccharum officinarum had Polynesian origin.
• Barber and Jesweit (1930) indicated that Saccharum officinarum evolved in Malaysia - Indonesia-Papua-new Guinea region or in the islands of Polynesia or Melanesia groups.
• Brandes et al. have mentioned in records of their expedition during 1928 that maximum diversity was noted in New Guinea from where Saccharum officnarum_ might have evolved and since S. robustum was endemic to this area, the latter may be the ancestor of the former. It was accepted then as both the species had chromosome number of 2n= 80. Warner and Grassl also confirmed it after the expedition in 1957.

• The total sugarcane area during 1950 -51 was 1.7 million hectares which rose to 2.46 million hectares by 1960 - 61 and to 2.62 million hectares by 1970 -71. Over the last 25 years, the area has expanded by 45.8 percent and the present area is 3.82 million hectares.
• Sugarcane production also had similar increases. During the year 1994 -95, it was an all time high of 271m. tonnes.
• Sugarcane is cultivated in most of the Indian states at present. Uttar Pradesh has the largest area - almost 50 per cent of the cane area in the country, followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh (Composite), Gujarat, Bihar, Haryana and Punjab. These nine are the most important sugarcane producing States.

Source : DACNET

• Sugarcane production is highest in Uttar Pradesh followed by Maharashtra. Productivity-wise, Tamil Nadu stands first with over 100 tonnes per hectare followed by Karnataka and Maharashtra. Bihar has the lowest productivity among the major sugarcane growing States.
• The first sugar mill was established during 1784 in Bengal on the banks of river Hoogly. During 1994 - 95, there were 408 mills in operation with an average crushing capacity of 2452 tonnes per day and a crushing duration of 161 days.

• Sugarcane is an important commercial crop of the country occupying around 3.8 million hectares with an annual cane production of around 270 million tonnes. It occupies about 2.8% of the cultivated land area and contributes about 7.5% to the agricultural production in the country. About 35 million farmers grow and depend on sugarcane for their livelihood. And an equal number of agricultural labourers earn their living by working in sugarcane farms.
• The sugar Industry is the second largest agro-based industry, next only to Textiles, in the country. There are 435 sugar mills installed, which utilize around 40 -50% of the cane produced, manufacturing around 15 million tonnes of sugar. About 5 lakh workmen are directly employed by the Industry besides a host of others gaining employment in industries which utilize by-products of sugar industry as raw material.
• Sugar Industry contributes over Rs. 1000 crores to the Central Exchequer as excise duty and taxes annually. Besides, almost an equal amount is realized by the State Governments through purchase taxes, cess etc. At the present sugarcane price, total value of sugarcane produced in the country is around Rs.15,000 crores per year.
• Sugarcane is the only raw material for all the major sweeteners produced in the country.
• Sugarcane also supports two important rural and cottage industries, viz., Gur (Jaggery) and Knandsari industries, which together produce about 10 million tonnes of sweeteners (Gur and Khandsari sugar) using around 50 - 55% of the cane produced in the country.
• By-products of sugar Industry also play an important role in the national economy. Molasses, the chief by-product, is the main raw material for alcohol and thus for alcohol-based industries in the country.
• Sugarcane bagasse (the fibrous material left over after crushing) is the chief source of power in the sugar mills. Excess bagasse is now being used as raw material in the paper industry. Besides, co-generation of power using bagasse as fuel is considered feasible in most sugar mills.
• Another by-product, pressmud, contains considerable amount of plant nutrients and could be an important source of organic matter, major and micronutrients. Sugarcane green tops are used as cattle feed. In urban areas sugarcane juice has great demand as a thirst quencher. In many of our festivals, sugarcane is an important item of worship.