LUCKNOW, July 2 -- The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a 30-member core group under the sugar industry and cane development department to formulate and implement effective strategies for increasing productivity, improving varietal replacement and strengthening the overall sugarcane ecosystem in the state. "The group, led by the principal secretary of the sugar Industry and cane development department, has been mandated to prepare a roadmap for introducing high-yielding, disease-resistant sugarcane varieties, promote mechanisation, ensure soil health, and encourage modern farming techniques like precision farming and artificial intelligence in cultivation," said a senior sugar cane department official. The group, according to him, has been formed in light of the government's renewed focus on enhancing sugarcane yield, ensuring timely availability of healthy planting material and adopting sustainable practices to benefit both farmers and the sugar industry. htc...