18 Oct Sugarcane byproducts and their myriad use
गन्नेे (ईख) के उत्पाद तथा उनके अनेक उपयोग Sugarcane is the second important industrial crop in India occupying an area of about 5 m.ha and over five million farmers are involved in the cultivation of sugarcane. Sugar industry contributes significantly to the rural economy as the sugar mills are located in the rural areas and provide large scale employment to rural population. India is the largest consumer and the second largest producer of sugar. The sugarcane plant offers a huge potential, not only as the sucrose of a very important food but also as a source of energy and valuable commercial products from fermentation and chemical synthesis. Sugarcane is considered as one of the best converters of solar energy into biomass and sugar. Sugarcane is a rich source of food (sucrose, jaggery and syrups), fiber (cellulose), fodder (green top, bagasse, molasses) fuel and chemicals (bagasse molasses and alcohol). During the process of sugar production, the main by-products of cane sugar industry are bagasse, molasses and pressmud. The other co-products and by-products of less commercial value are green leaves, green tops, trash, boiler ash and effluents generated by sugar industry and distillery. There are many other industries which are based on sugarcane by diversification and utilization of co-products and by- products of the sugar industry,...