Lucknow, February 02: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the most effective way to give Uttar Pradesh a new leap in the agricultural sector is to implement “intercropping of oilseeds and pulses with sugarcane” on a large scale.
He said that this model has the potential to not only double, but also multiply, the income of sugarcane farmers. The Chief Minister was chairing a high-level meeting on this topic on Monday.
Chief Minister Yogi said that intercropping of high-value crops like mustard, lentils, black gram, and green gram with sugarcane provides farmers with additional production, lower costs, and a stable income throughout the year, strengthening their financial position.
The Chief Minister stated that horizontal expansion of cultivable land in the state is no longer possible, and therefore, the only way to increase production to achieve the goal of a trillion-dollar economy is to produce more crops per unit area.
He stated that sugarcane-based intercropping is a new model for Uttar Pradesh’s agricultural future. It provides farmers with higher production, higher income, and risk protection.
The Chief Minister directed that this scheme be implemented in mission mode from 2026-27 to 2030-31. Currently, sugarcane is cultivated on 29.50 lakh hectares in the state, including 14.64 lakh hectares of newly sown area and 14.86 lakh hectares of standing area.
He stated that intercropping with oilseeds and pulses in such a large area will significantly increase production and strengthen the state’s and the country’s self-reliance in the oilseed and pulse sectors.
The Chief Minister directed that intercropping should be selected based on scientific and practical considerations, implemented through Krishi Vigyan Kendras and agricultural universities. He suggested prioritizing mustard and lentils in the Rabi season and black gram and green gram in the Zaid season, as recommended by IISR.
The Chief Minister stated that the biggest strength of this model is the additional crop, additional profits, and additional security without compromising sugarcane production. He directed the preparation of a year-wise roadmap for this scheme. He stated that this additional production will directly increase farmers’ income and contribute significantly to the state’s GVA.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the structure of assistance and grants must be clear for the successful implementation of the scheme.
He also stated that large-scale adoption of intercropping will provide farmers with faster cash flow and reduce single-crop risks, making agriculture more stable and sustainable. He emphasized that this scheme should not be limited to the benefits of farmers in the sugarcane sector alone, but should be implemented as a transformation of the state’s broader agricultural landscape.