UP’s ‘Bismil’ Sugarcane variety approved in 4 more states

The Uttar Pradesh Sugarcane Research Council (UPSRC), Shahjahanpur, has developed a high-yielding sugarcane variety named ‘Bismil’ after freedom fighter Ram Prasad Bismil, which has now been approved for cultivation in Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan, officials said on Thursday.

Earlier, the variety was cleared only for cultivation in Uttar Pradesh. Its expansion to four additional states follows approval from the central committee , Council Director V K Shukla said.

Developed under the All India Coordinated Research Project of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the variety is officially designated as CoSha 17231 (Coimbatore-Shahjahanpur). It is resistant to red rot disease, a major threat to sugarcane crops, and offers an average yield potential of 86.35 tonnes per hectare, with a sugar recovery of 13.97 per cent, said breeder Dr Arvind Kumar.

Senior scientist Ajay Tiwari highlighted that the new variety is expected to boost farmers’ incomes while enhancing overall sugar production. The naming of the variety after Ram Prasad Bismil, a key figure in the Kakori train action of 1925 , is intended to honor his contribution to India’s freedom struggle .

Extension officer Sanjeev Pathak added that seeds of the variety had already been distributed across all 42 sugarcane-growing districts of Uttar Pradesh , yielding encouraging results. Shukla also noted that ICAR recently approved 184 new varieties across 25 crops , including CoSha 17231, underscoring its scientific merit and potential impact .