Belagavi: The S. Nijalingappa Sugar Institute (SNSI), based in Belagavi, is set to introduce a postgraduate course in sugar technology starting this academic year. The announcement was made by Minister Shivananda Patil following a recent board meeting of the institute in Bengaluru.
The new course will be affiliated with Rani Channamma University in Belagavi, providing students with specialized education in sugar technology.
The board also decided to start a sugar and alcohol research centre in Benakanahalli near Belagavi, reported The Hindu.
The institute plans to accommodate research scholars pursuing doctoral studies across its various campuses. It is estimated that Rs 15 crore is required to start the college. And, it has been decided to set aside Rs 5 crore immediately.
The institute’s tissue culture laboratory, which has been operational for nine years, has successfully produced 16.47 lakh saplings. Similarly, the biofertilizer and biopesticide production unit, running for four years, has produced 8.26 tonnes of output by the end of 2023-24. Both facilities will be further strengthened to enhance productivity and research capabilities.
To support farmers, SNSI will establish a corpus fund to provide compensation in case of damage to sugarcane crops due to fire disasters. Minister Patil stated that guidelines for the compensation framework will be formulated soon.
Addressing the challenges faced by sugar factories, Minister Patil noted that many factories struggle to remain profitable as they operate for only 90 days a year. He suggested extending operations to at least 150 days by engaging in the production of by-products after the sugarcane crushing period.
SNSI Directors Satyajit Patil and C.B. Patil, along with officers Raman Deep Chowdhury, Ravi Kumar, Raja Gopal, and others, were present at the meeting, according to an official release.
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