Suitability of sugar cane land for mechanised cultural operations in Mauritius
| MSI05P4132 | |
| Jhoty, I. Ramasamy, S. | |
| Suitability of sugar cane land for mechanised cultural operations in Mauritius | |
| periodical article | |
| 2005 | |
| Proc. int. Soc. Sug. Cane Technol. | |
| 25 (2): 357-363 | |
| En | |
| En Fr Sp | |
| Much emphasis is put on the mechanization of cultural operations in sugar cane to reduce the cost of production and increase the competitiveness of the sugar industry in Mauritius. In order to obtain precise data on the suitability of cane lands for mechanized cultural operations, a suitability assessment exercise was undertaken. The criteria used for the assessment were factors that relate to land characteristics, land planning measures and levels of investment. Data on land planning measures and mechanization practices of individual cane fields were collected from large growers. Specifically, derocking levels, as achievements of land planning processes, on cane land of small growers were determined from recent aerial photographs. The digital production of a map showing land suitable for mechanization was accomplished with a GIS package. Five mechanization suitability classes were recognized, classes for full and partial mechanization to not at all suitable for mechanization. About 27 per cent of the area under cane cultivation in Mauritius were currently suitable for full mechanization of cultural operations as the main physical constraints were overcome. But, overall, about 70 per cent of the total cane area were found to be potentially suitable for full mechanization, if the major constraints were eliminated, and 15 per cent suitable for partial mechanization. Land, of steep slopes and very rocky soils, not suitable at all for mechanization amounted to about 15 per cent of the total cane area. The impact of mechanization in sugar cane on certain related issues is discussed in the paper. Various growers and stakeholders responded positively to the publication of the technical report and the accompanying map of suitability of cane land for mechanization. | |
| Sugarcane competiveness mechanization land planning suitability classes cultural operations | |
| Mauritius | |
| Sugarcane: Cultural operations | |
| Mechanization | |
| 2005-02-21 | |
| en | |
| LIB | |
| CAT | |
| LRD |