How sweet is that! An app to aid sugarcane farmers

Coimbatore: In a first, the Sugarcane Breeding Institute here has developed a mobile application called 'Cane Adviser', which would serve as a channel to communicate with about five million sugarcane growers across the country.

Launched with an aim to boost cane production and productivity, the app will have information from planting to harvest and will also serve as a digital guide to sugarcane cultivators across India.

The app was released by Subhashish Panda, joint secretary (sugar) during the valediction of international symposium on sugarcane research held at the institute between September 18 and 21.

"This app is the result of a 15-month research project funded by extramural project division of agricultural extension of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi," said T Rajula Shantha, project leader and head, extension, ICAR-SBI, Coimbatore.

The app is unique as it has a scheduler and a query handler. The scheduler is tailor-made for each registered user, who would receive continued advice and reminder messages on the calendar about farming operation. Besides, the user has an option to raise queries either through text messages or in graphic form and receive replies via SMS/email.

'Cane Adviser' is Android-based and is available in Google Play Store as a free download. Its Tamil version, Karumbu Aalosakar, would be rolled out soon, sources said.TNN