Mobile lab to check sucrose in cane

THE Punjab Food Department has established the first-ever mobile laboratory for testing of sucrose in sugarcane which will become operational in the coming sugarcane crushing season.

The laboratory costing Rs 12 million will test the sucrose level of sugarcane which farmers will sell to mills. The Punjab Food Department has tasked the Punjab Cane Commissioner office with implementing this pilot project. The project would be expanded in coming years.

An official of the Punjab government said a BPS-17 lab officer along with two laboratory attendants, one helper, computer operator and a driver would be deputed to this mobile laboratory. The mobile laboratory is housed in a 22-wheeler vehicle offering accommodation facility for the staff. The government will pay special travel and day allowance to the staff. The staff of mobile laboratory will be on the move throughout the sugarcane crushing season.

The mobile laboratory will visit each sugar producing district for 15 days. The government official will take sample from farmers and half of which would be given to the mill to check sucrose level and from half it would test sucrose level. The sucrose level test will be conducted within 15 to 30 minutes and test result would be given to the farmer which will determine the price of his produce. The highest sucrose level sugarcane would be sold at higher price while mills will pay minimum procurement price fixed by the government for lowest sucrose level sugarcane.

Currently, some four sugar mills of the province have their own sucrose level testing from sugarcane laboratories at their mills. These mills are Chaudhry Sugar Mills, Ramazan Sugar Mills, Channar Sugar Mills, and Shakarganj Sugar Mills.

The official of the Punjab Food Department said the cane commissioner Punjab had worked hard to complete this project as farmers had complained they were not getting good price for their high yield produce.

He said farmers can lodge complaints about staff with the cane commissioner’s office. He said the federal government was also emphasising sucrose level in sugarcane. It was also considering linking sugarcane price with sucrose level as well, he said.