ANNOUNCEMENTS
This study looks into the factors influencing some farmers in the Punjab region to shift from sugarcane cultivation to sugarbeet farming. Sugarcane has for many years been a dominant crop in the region, but it is increasingly unsustainable due to its severe groundwater depletion. On the other hand, sugarbeet is an alternative crop that is lesser known in the region, but requires significantly less water and time to cultivate, which can be economically beneficial as well.
The main focus of this study is to analyze the factors shaping the crop choice decision of the farmers, and for this purpose, data was collected from 200 sugarcane farmers from four districts: Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala. The dataset consisted of responses to surveys conducted based on a mixed-method approach that addressed crop-variety selection, leasehold crops identification, market knowledge, and government stimulus comprehension. It was analyzed utilizing a binary logit regression model. The study sought to evaluate the effect of education level, income, land size, irrigation, market awareness, and government supports on the probability of adoption of sugarbeet, and all of these did come into play. Additionally, the model was well-fitted (McFadden R² = 0.27) and showed that most of the explanatory variables of the model had a considerable effect; however, from the set of positive influences, risk perception acted as a deterrent.
The findings show that sugarbeet costs about ₹10,000 less per acre to cultivate than sugarcane, uses less than half the water, and produces much lower carbon emissions. Yet, adoption remains low at just 14%, mainly due to lack of institutional support and market confidence. Simulated scenarios suggest that with proper policy interventions — such as MSP, local processing units, and awareness campaigns — adoption could rise to 68% or more.
This study highlights the potential for sugarbeet as a sustainable crop choice in Punjab and provides practical recommendations for enabling that transition.
Keywords: Sugarbeet adoption, Sugarcane, Sustainable agriculture, Binary logit model, Water use efficiency, Policy support.
