In modern era and lifestyle where everything changes with the blink of an eye, carrying on with conventional systems may not yield any measurable benefits to the Indian sugar industry. Amidst all challenges relating to production of high-quality sugars to compete in the global and international market, surplus sugar disposal, sugar exports, changing dietary patterns and drift in the consumer preferences has indeed led the industry to think beyond sugar towards product innovation viz. cane juice preservation, special sugar production, smart packaging of sugar, branding of sugar, production of low GI, multivitamin sugars, fortified, flavoured and other special sugars, production of bio-plastics, edible molasses etc., thereby achieving a good nutritional status and emerging as economically stable, self-sustained industry catering to the growing needs and requirements of the market as well. There should be advances in research and development of novel technologies for economic and sustainable conversion o the indstr’s resorces into energ and value-added products which ultimately support the development of agro-based industrial sector with a more profitable, sustainable and environmentally responsible sugar system.
Keywords : Urbanization; Nutritional Status; Fortification; International Market.