Sugarcane juice is a natural beverage that is delicious and cheap. Sugarcane has been satisfying thirsty palates for centuries together. It's not a drink of the elite class, which is why it's an 'all people's drink'. Freshly extracted sugarcane juice is a very popular drink in India and is available at most small street stalls, often sold alongside other popular beverages. The major problem encountered is the lack of hygiene during crushing operation resulting in the contamination of the juice with a heavy load of micro-organisms which arises due to improper cleaning of the sugarcanes and handling of the finished product. Presently, the juice is being extracted using hand or power operated crusher which cannot be stored for a couple of hours due to its fast deteriorating quality. Sugarcane juice is quite nutritious as it contains natural sugars, minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorous, calcium and organic acids e.g. malic acid, succinic acid, acotinic acid, amino acid, protein, starch, gums, waxes, non-sugar phosphatides, thus imparts health benefits to the consumers. Sugarcane contains 18-20% solids. The juice produced is served under very unhygienic conditions and hygiene conscious public does not opt for sugarcane juice. Hygienically produced and packaged sugar cane juice could find use as other soft drinks and has good potential market as the juice is nutritious. The sugarcane juice preserved and packed in aseptic packing and bottle has a good storage life and is available during off-season also. The juice is available in many flavors including classic plain, mint, ginger, lemonade, pepper, sweet & salt etc. Sugarcane juice is a high-energy drink that is natural, sweet and is a healthy alternative to refined sugar added drinks. It quickly replaces lost energy in the most arduous of circumstances. It is a flavorful drink on its own and also popular with a twist of lemon and can be mixed with any other juice to produce cocktails high in carbohydrate and vitamins. In India, sugarcane is the primary raw material required for production of sugar. Sugarcane, a very long duration crop, is planted during January-February and July-August period in south India, while during February-March and October-November period in north India. The crop is harvested during October-September. During the period 2000 to 2009, the average yield of sugarcane came down from 70 MT per hectare to 60 MT per hectare. In Tamil Nadu, average production is 135 MT per hectare, whereas in Madhya Pradesh it is less than 40 MT per hectare. Sugarcane production is expected to increase by 10 % to over 300 million tonnes in the 2010-11 crop years. This is on account of improved cane acreage and better yield. Meanwhile, in the 2009-10 crop years, sugarcane production stood at 274 million tonnes. Sugarcane is planted round the year and the crop is harvested during October-September. Sugarcane output, however, would be more than 300 million tonnes in 2010-11 crop years. Moreover, new varieties of sugarcane are promising yield raises to 65 tonne per hectare from 55 tonne per hectare in India's top 2 cane growing states namely Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. If the monsoon rains are normal, India's sugar output may increase to 24-25 million tonnes in 2010-11 crop years according to Managing Director Vinay Kumar of National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF). The market for branded fruit-based drinks (Maaza, Frooti, Slice and others), nectar drinks (Real and Tropicana) and others is placed at Rs 8 billion. Of this Rs 6 billion is the market for fruit-based drinks and nearly Rs 2 billion is for fruit nectars. Besides, there is a large segment of kiosk vendors, especially in the urban areas, whose size is estimated at between Rs 8 and Rs 10 billion. The overall market for fruit juices of all types would thus be around Rs 18 billion. Aseptic packaging systems have fundamentally changed the handling of sensitive liquid foods. Distribution and storage no longer require refrigeration, with the result that the shelf life of the package contents is considerably extended. The need for aseptic packaging is rapidly increasing and the system has proved to be invaluable in the distribution of milk and other products. Aseptic package has not only to protect the product but also to maintain the quality of the product. Aseptic packaging systems have played a vital role in providing people all over the world with essential nourishment. Fresh sugarcane juice packed under hygienic conditions is available on the shelf. The concept of sugarcane juice in aseptic packing is not new worldwide, but in India, a very few players are there. Thus, there is a good scope and good market potential in this field. Any new entrepreneur should venture in this sector.
