Why it is in the news
On 28 September 2026, The Indian Express reported that Uttar Pradesh, India's top cane-growing State, saw sugar output fall from 126.4 lakh tonnes (2019-20) to 89.5 lakh tonnes (2025-26), while cane crushed by its 120-odd mills fell by over a fifth. The main cause is the collapse of Co-0238 (Karan 4), the variety that once dominated UP fields, to red rot, a fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum falcatum. Hopes now rest on Co-20016 (Karan 20), bred by ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI), Coimbatore, which is resistant to the virulent CF13 pathotype and awaits the Central Varietal Release Committee in October 2026.
The exam angle
Issue: Monoculture of a single high-yielding sugarcane clone has exposed UP's cane economy to a disease-driven collapse, raising questions about varietal diversity and crop-disease preparedness.