Application of Information Communication Technology Tools for Sugarcane Marketing and Product Supply Chain Management in India

Sugarcane produced by the farmers is used as raw material for sweeteners production (sugar, energy and jaggery), fresh juice, seed and chewing. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools and smartphones through Apps play a pivotal role in sugarcane production, marketing and its input supply chain management for various clients. It allows farmers to save time as well as money and they can retrieve desired information on their smartphones or mobile gazettes. The online licensing policy helps in obtaining license for establishing Jaggery Unit to promote under one district one product (OPOP) scheme for development of agri-entrepreneurs and strengthen Farmers Producers Organizations/Companies (FPOs/FPCs). The M-kisan portal provides farmers technical knowledge related to sugarcane production, protection and marketing information on their mobile phones. The effective implementation policy should be formulated to maintain transparency in implementation of online system and to ensure participation of all the stakeholders. The electronic and social media play a key role in creation of awareness amongst the farmers related to the new initiatives. The states announce State Advised Prices (SAP), above the Fair Remunerative Price (FRP), which lead to huge cane price arrears on sugar mills. It was basic reason for unrest, anguish and hardship to the farmers. There is an urgent need to enable the de-reservation of sugarcane area, minimum distance criterion and adopt hybrid approach for sugarcane prices in combination with Revenue Sharing Formula (RSF) and FRP. The R & D should be strengthened to develop product quality standards for export promotion of traditional sweetener products in niche markets. The self-help groups, FPOs/FPCs, NGOs should be involved in packaging and marketing of value added jaggery products in metro city hyper Malls. The results revealed that the sugarcane utilized by sugar mills has increased from 50.8 to 74.4 per cent during 1990-2020. The compound growth rates for jaggery production and consumption were -2.936 and -3.163 per cent during 1991-2021, respectively. Its annual production declined from 9.02MT in 1990to 5.46 MT during the year 2020-21. The product supply chain should be supported by ICT tools, smart phones based Apps, production technological interventions and institutional policy reforms. The quality norms for jaggery should be standardized for its export promotion in high end cities Malls and niche markets, where India has logistic as well as comparative cost advantages. The products marketing in hyper or super Malls, direct online selling through mobile apps or internet based websites such as Amazon, Flip carts etc., must be utilized to enhance producer’s share in consumer’s rupee so that farming community may reap economic benefits.