It can be grown in a wide range of soil. This can grow on loams, clayey loams, black cotton soils, brown or reddish loams and even laterite soils. Sugarcane can withstand any kind of soil that could retain moisture. But deep loamy soils are good for its production and drainage soil for sugarcane cultivation. The soil should be high in nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus but not too acidic or alkaline. Sugarcane rapidly and extensively exhausts the soil's fertility and its cultivation requires a high dose of manures and fertilizers so fertile soil is good for the cultivation of sugarcane.
As sugarcane crop stands in field for more than a year, it is necessary to perform deep ploughing by tractor drawn mould board/ MB plough. The proper time for ploughing is immediately after the preceding crop is harvested or just after a good shower of rain received. The land is then exposed to the atmosphere for a month. The harrowing is done 3 to 4 times to break clods and to make the land smooth and even to facilitate uniform irrigation. Four to six ploughings to produce good tilth is recommended. Each ploughing should be followed by planking. Compost or farm yard manure @ 15-20 tonnes per hectare should be applied in the field before 30 days of planting and mixed thoroughly with soil during land preparation.