The Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF) is in need of larger molecular laboratories to enhance its research efforts, according to CEO Dr. Vinesh Kumar. He made this statement during a meeting with the High Commissioner of India to Fiji, Shri Palaniswamy Subramanyan Karthigeyan, at the SRIF headquarters last week.
Dr. Kumar highlighted that one major challenge faced by the institute is the presence of numerous unapproved cane varieties in the Northern Division. He noted that there is a significant amount of mixed cane varieties and expressed the intention to extract the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) from them.
Dr. Geetha Nandagopal, the head of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme’s crop protection department, has been working with SRIF for two years. Dr. Kumar acknowledged her contributions, stating that she has effectively collaborated with local scientists to help identify and control plant diseases.
While SRIF possesses sufficient technology and cane varieties to support the sugar industry, Dr. Kumar pointed out that a further challenge lies in getting farmers to adapt to these advancements.