Assam Sets Up World’s First Boilerless Sugarcane Plant For Jaggery Production

GUWAHATI: The farmers in Assam are ushering a new era of sugarcane farming with the setting up of the world's first boilerless sugarcane processing unit, which was conceptualized by Punjab-based Spray Engineering Devices Limited (SEDL) in collaboration with Ecotech Agro Mills. Situated at Bamungaon near Lanka in Hojai district, this hi-tech unit has a crushing capacity of 500 tonnes per day (TCD).

In contrast to conventional sugar mills that use burning bagasse to fuel boilers, this new plant uses no fossil fuels at all and is thus completely carbon neutral. SEDL Managing Director Vivek Verma pointed out that the plant converts sugarcane into good-quality jaggery without any smoke, steam, or waste, which is a major leap in sustainable agro-industrial technology.

The plant has been operating to process over 180,000 tonnes of sugarcane annually since its establishment, and as a result, about 60,000 tonnes of bagasse have been saved. Planning is underway for expansion of the plant to 750 TCD, and sugarcane cultivation activities are being carried out on 800 bighas of nearby land in order to generate a consistent source of sugarcane.

The developers are also investigating additional value chains, including the conversion of unused bagasse into bioethanol and other bioproducts. Verma stated that the initiative aims to create a circular economy that enhances farmer income and strengthens rural resilience in Assam.

Currently, Assam has over 29,000 hectares dedicated to sugarcane cultivation, with the potential to produce 135,000 tonnes of jaggery annually, yet the lack of processing facilities has led to reliance on imports from other regions.

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