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Cane variety with 14% sugar recovery rate can boost Maha's economy: Gadkari

Union minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted the economic potential of a new sugarcane variety with a 14 per cent sugar recovery rate, stating that it could increase Maharashtra's economic output by ₹25,000 crore. Speaking at the silver jubilee event of the Saturday Club Global Trust in Nagpur, Gadkari said, 'Brazil has developed a sugarcane breed through biotechnology that offers a 14 per cent sugar recovery. If we use a similar variety in Maharashtra, it could positively impact our state's economy by ₹25,000 crore.' 'Kolhapur district currently records the highest sugar recovery in Maharashtra, at around 12 to 12.5 per cent, while Vidarbha lags at approximately 11.25 per cent. Even a 1 per cent increase in sugar recovery translates to gains of ₹7 to ₹8 crore,' he noted, highlighting the substantial economic benefits of improved sugarcane breeds. The minister mentioned that he had provided the Vasantdada Sugar Institute with comprehensive information about the high-yielding variety and requested it to develop a breed tailored to local conditions. 'Anyone who understands demand and supply can succeed. If you identify what is in short supply and produce it, there is profit,' he said. During his address, Gadkari also spoke about the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, stressing the importance of understanding market dynamics. He further emphasised that credibility and honesty are essential traits for entrepreneurs today. 'Credibility is more important than anything else in business. There are no shortcuts. Quality and punctuality are essential, and one must think with a futuristic vision for at least the next 25 years,' he added. Automobile industry Sharing insights on manufacturing scale, Gadkari recounted a conversation with the World Chairman of Mercedes-Benz. 'I told him I do not approve of your business model. You produce only 20,000 cars a year. If you increase that to two lakh cars, your production cost will fall by 22 per cent. Managing both quality and volume is crucial. Higher volumes reduce costs and improve market positioning,' he remarked. He pointed out that when he assumed office, the Indian automobile industry was worth ₹7 trillion, ranking seventh globally. 'Today, it is ₹23 trillion, and we have overtaken Japan to become the third-largest automobile economy. The United States tops the list at ₹78 trillion, followed by China at ₹49 trillion,' he said. Alternative fuels Discussing the shift towards alternative fuels, Gadkari acknowledged that while petrol and diesel remain the global standards, India is moving ahead with vehicles using CNG, LNG, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, and hydrogen. 'My own car runs on a flex engine with 40 per cent ethanol blended in petrol. Petrol costs ₹120 per litre, while ethanol is about ₹60. Flex engines reduce transportation costs significantly,' he pointed out.