During trials, it achieved a capacity of 1,700 buds per hour at an operating cost of ₹1,000 per hectare compared to ₹6,250 for conventional methods. | Photo courtesy: Shiva Saravanan S/The Hindu.
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has obtained a 20-year patent from the Patent Office of the Government of India for the Sugarcane Single Bud Set Cutter developed under the Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI).
SSI is an innovative method that promotes the use of single-bud chips to produce uniform and more millable sugarcane per seedling. A press release from Farm University said the machine will further improve yields and reduce farming costs for farmers.
Traditional bud chippers and manual operations are often inefficient and labor-intensive. The machine, powered by a 4-HP diesel engine, is designed to cut sugarcane stalks into single-bud sets quickly and evenly. Built on a sturdy mild steel frame, it includes a power transmission system, serrated cutting discs, protective covers, a can holder for easy feeding, a delivery chute, a counter to record output, vibration control mounts and wheels for mobility, the release said.
India, which has the second largest area under sugarcane cultivation after Brazil, is set to benefit from this new mechanized solution to improve planting efficiency and reduce labor costs. Sugarcane is cultivated in 4.7 million hectares in the country, with an average productivity of 72 tonnes per hectare. Tamil Nadu leads the country in terms of sugarcane productivity with an average of more than 100 tonnes per hectare.
Performance and savings
The machine was tested at a blade rotational speed of 2,200 rpm with a 200 mm-diameter cutting disc. It can produce sets of 30mm, 35mm and 40mm by adjusting the spacer between the cutting discs.
During trials, the cutter achieved a capacity of 1,700 buds per hour. The operating cost of bud cutting was estimated at ₹1,000 per hectare, much lower than ₹6,250 for a conventional bud chipper. The developers said the machine could save more than 50 percent in time and cost.
Apart from reducing farming expenses, mechanized system also reduces the difficulty of labor in sugarcane cultivation.
Germination rate was recorded at 95 per cent in Protre nursery and 90 per cent under field conditions, indicating high planting efficiency.
The machine is priced at ₹34,000, offering a cost-effective solution for farmers adopting SSI-based sugarcane farming, the release said.
Published on February 18, 2026
