If sugarcane is crushed within 24 hours of cutting, the loss stays low. If the delay is more than 24 hours, moisture is lost, weight falls and juice quality gets worse. So keep cut sugarcane in shade and send it quickly. Even if Brix seems to rise, do not take it as a good sign.
What do the numbers say?
According to ICAR-SBI, Coimbatore, if crushing happens within 24 hours of harvest, the loss stays low. If it takes more than 24 hours, moisture loss causes a noticeable fall in weight. Heat, burning the field before harvest, injury to stalks and microbes increase sugar loss.
Figures from the Akola study
In a study at Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, sugarcane was tested for up to 48 hours after cutting:
- Purity: fell from 93.05% to 90.17%.
- CCS (a measure of sugar): fell from 14.78% to 14.47%.
- Brix: rose from 22.40 to 22.97.
The same study mentions earlier work in India, in which a 7.4 to 17% fall in cane weight was recorded after 96 hours. According to an estimate by the South African Sugarcane Research Institute, under South African conditions purity falls by about 1.25% a day on average. Spoilage is fastest in hot and humid months. The figure for your field can be different depending on weather and variety.
The difference between 12 hours and 24 hours
In the Akola study, CCS at 0 and 12 hours after cutting was noticeably higher than at 24, 36 and 48 hours. The authors concluded that crushing within 24 hours reduces quality loss. SASRI also gives the same advice: sugarcane should go for crushing on the day it is harvested. So harvest only after the mill slip and transport are fixed. If sugarcane cut late in the evening lies in the field overnight, the time gets longer.
What can a farmer do?
- Harvest order: Cut only as much sugarcane as will reach the mill or kolhu that day.
- Shade: Do not keep cut sugarcane in the sun. In the Akola study, the purity of sugarcane kept in shade stayed better than that of sugarcane kept in the sun.
- Water spray: SBI suggests shade and a fine spray of water in hot weather.
- Avoid injury: Sugarcane cut into pieces spoils faster than whole stalks. Keep stalks whole and handle them so that loading and unloading cause less damage. Avoid throwing stalks while filling the trolley.
- Do not burn the field before harvest: Burnt standing sugarcane, especially on wet soil, can lose sugar faster.
- Immature or over-mature sugarcane: Both increase spoilage. Fix the harvest date by measuring.
Ratoon and care
The work in the field does not end even after harvest. If you plan to keep a ratoon, also see Ratoon crop care.
Questions and answers
Within how many hours should cut sugarcane reach the mill?
According to ICAR-SBI, if crushing happens within 24 hours, the loss stays low. If it takes longer, the loss increases.
Does spraying water on cut sugarcane help?
SBI mentions shade and a fine spray of water in hot weather as ways to reduce spoilage. Fast transport is also needed.
Sources: ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore: FAQ on cane quality · Patil et al.: Effect of harvesting time and storage condition on post-harvest deterioration in sugarcane, Plant Archives 22(2), 2022 · SASRI Information Sheet 15.3: Harvest to crush delays
*Farmers' results are their own experience, not a guarantee. Results change with soil, water, weather and care.
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