Uses and Importance of Sugarcane

Sugarcane is mainly an industrial crop as the cane is supplied to sugar industries, where various products, from its juice are prepared by using a series of industry. The by-products from sugarcane further require some form of industry. Only a fraction of its production is used in small scale industry for making local Khandsari' and 'gur'. Sugarcane's products like sugar and fermented products are very important in making and preserving various kind of medicines like syrups, liquids; capsules etc. Sugarcane provides a juice, which is used for making white sugar, and jaggery (gur) and many by-products 1ike bagasse and molasses. Bagasse is used as a fuel, for production of fiber board, papers, plastics and furfural. Molasses is used in distilleries for the manufacture of ethyl alcohol, butyl alcohol, citric acid etc. Rum is the best potable spirit made from molasses. Molasses, also, is used as an additive to feeds for livestock. Green tops of cane are a good source of fodder for cattle. Its remains are good manure in alkaline and saline soils.