The Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF) is calling for the establishment of larger molecular laboratories to enhance its research capabilities, according to CEO Dr. Vinesh Kumar. This statement was made during a meeting with the High Commissioner of India to Fiji, Shri Palaniswamy Subramanyan Karthigeyan, at the SRIF headquarters last week.
Dr. Kumar highlighted a significant challenge facing the institute: the presence of numerous unapproved varieties of sugarcane in the Northern Division. He pointed out the issue of mixed cane varieties and expressed the need to extract Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) from these crops.
Dr. Geetha Nandagopal, who heads the crop protection department under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme, has been collaborating with SRIF for the past two years. Dr. Kumar commended her efforts, noting that her work with local scientists has been crucial in identifying and controlling plant diseases.
While Dr. Kumar asserted that SRIF possesses adequate technology and a diverse range of cane varieties to sustain the sugar industry, he also emphasized the necessity for farmers to learn and adapt to these advancements.