The CEO of Sugarcane & By-Products Development Co. announced the pilot launch of a subsurface drip irrigation system in 25 hectares of sugarcane lands of Amir Kabir Sugarcane Agro-Industrial Company.

In an interview with IRNA reporter, Dr. Abd Ali Naseri added: This knowledge-based project was implemented in this company in order to manage water resources as much as possible, so that after passing the initial tests, it will be used on a wider level.

He mentioned saving water consumption and preventing its wastage, increasing the amount of production and quality of the product, reducing the growth of weeds, reducing the costs of operation and maintenance, saving fertilizer, no soil erosion, ease of cultivation and harvesting, easy movement of machines in the fields and better growth of sugarcane plant among the benefits of implementing the subsurface drip irrigation plan.

The CEO of Sugarcane & By-Products Development Co. continued by stating that the useful life of this system is 12 to 15 years and added: In this knowledge-based plan, the plant’s water needs are met with minimal evaporation.

Naseri added: If this plan is implemented in the eight sugarcane Agro-industries affiliated to the Sugarcane & By-Products Development Company, water consumption will be reduced by one tenth.

He mentioned water stress, salinity and drought among the challenges facing sugarcane Agro-industries in Khuzestan and expressed hope that with the development of the subsurface irrigation plan in the coming years, the challenges facing the sugarcane industry in Khuzestan will be minimized.