Declining sugarcane production in the state has made the dynamic Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar announce incentives to the cane farmers if they increase the production by 15 per cent in next two years.

Parrikar told the state Assembly that the government is contemplating the possibility of giving more profits to the sugarcane farmers.

“Ten years back the sugarcane cultivation was spread over 1,200 hectares of land which has now reduced to 850 hectare. The production has gone down from 68,000 tonnes to 46,000 tonnes during the last decade,” Parrikar said.

The target for next two years is to achieve 75,000 tonnes of sugarcane production in the state, he said. State Cooperation Minister Dipak Dhavalikar told the Assembly that the Sanjivani Sugar Factory, which runs in Dharbandora village, will have difficulty to procure the sugarcane from the neighbouring state this year due to drought conditions there.

He said Goan sugarcane farmers will be given an additional 15 percent incentive, along with their cost of cultivation if the production of the crop increases.

Responding to a suggestion by Leader of Opposition Pratapsinh Rane to use the capacity of sugar factory to produce ethanol, the minister said the government can study the proposal.