Thailand’s Cane and Sugar Board will propose that the government increases the incentives for sugarcane growers not to burn it before harvesting.

Virit Viseshsindhu, secretary-general of the board, said that the current price difference between fresh and burned sugarcane, even allowing for the “no burn” subsidy, is not enough to persuade many growers to refrain from burning, which makes the cane easier to cut.

Sugar milling for the 2023-24 crop year began on December 10th and ended on February 22nd. About 70.23 million tonnes of sugarcane are projected to be milled this year. Of these, 50.08 million tonnes were fresh cane and the rest were burned.

According to the board, hot spots in sugarcane cultivation areas in 47 provinces accounted for only 5.98% of the 37,464 so far detected in the country. Nakhon Ratchasima registered the highest amount of burned cane, at 2.4 million tonnes, followed by 1.8 million tonnes in Phetchabun, 1.7 million tonnes in Udon Thani, 1.6 million tonnes in Kalasin and 1.5 million tonnes in Khon Kaen.

The five sugar millers who accept the most burned sugarcane Thai Rungruang Industry, Mitr Kalasin Sugar, Kaset Thai International, Udon Thani Sugar and Mitr Phol Sugar.

The SSC secretary-general insists that there are 4,500 sugarcane cutting machines, which is sufficient, but the ground in numerous cane plantations needs to be prepared for access by the machines.

He also said that customers for cane leaves should be encouraged to buy more, to help reduce cane burning.