Sugarcane Cultivation in Tapi: South Gujarat's Sweet Crop

Tapi district in south Gujarat receives higher rainfall (over 1,200mm annually) than northern Gujarat, making it suitable for sugarcane cultivation alongside cotton, paddy, and millets. Farmers in Tapi's river valley grow the Co-8010 and CoM-0265 sugarcane varieties, harvesting from November to April. The south Gujarat cooperative sugar mill at Vyara processes Tapi's sugarcane harvest. Sugarcane farming in Tapi requires substantial labour for planting, intercultural operations, and harvesting; tribal and non-tribal communities both participate. Traditional jaggery (gur) making in small batch kolhu mills continues alongside industrial sugar processing. Sugarcane leaf mulch reduces water evaporation in fields and improves soil organic matter. The Tapi river valley's black cotton soil and perennial river access create ideal sugarcane conditions. Tapi's tribal communities (Dhodiya, Vasava, Gamit) participate in sugarcane cultivation alongside indigenous food crops.