Karnataka ranks 3rd in sugarcane production and 2nd with respect to sugar recovery in the country. The state is bestowed with favourable agro-climatic conditions for obtaining higher sugarcane yield and sugar recovery. There is a progressive development of sugar industry and sugarcane area in the state for the last 5 years. The progress of the industry and sugarcane farming is to be accomplished with the new research and development activities to be practiced in the industry and sugarcane farms. The new inventions are a necessity for development of the industry and also to improve the cane farming practices. Keeping these objectives, the Karnataka Sugar Institute, Belagavi is registered under the Karnataka Society’s Registration Act 1960 on 02.11.1988 to undertake sugarcane research and development activities in the interest of cane growers and sugar industry on the lines of National Sugar Institute, Kanpur and Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune in Maharashtra.

The institute has been set up at Belagavi in the year 2003 to promote and develop the sugar industry and the cultivation of sugarcane in the ‘sugar bowl’ district of Karnataka with 22 operating sugar mills. In 2010 the institute was renamed as ‘S. Nijalingappa Sugar Institute’ to commemorate the memories of the former Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri S. Nijalingappa. The activities of the institute are confined to entire state of karnataka.


OBJECTIVES OF THE INSTITUTE

• To promote, carryon, or help to carry on research and other scientific work in connection with trade or industry related to sugarcane / sugarbeet or other sugar bearing plants, sugar byproducts and trade and industries allied therewith or ancillary thereto and which will among others, include the following
• To carry on Research into the agricultural aspects of sugarcane including intercropping, other sugar bearing plants, processing aspects of sugar and utilization of the byproducts.
• To carry on research relating to manufacture and improvement of materials used in the sugar industry and trade and industries allied therewith, including fermentation industries, paper industry etc.
• To carry on research into the problems of ancillary or subsidiary industries based on the products and byproducts of the sugar industry.
• To carryon research into the improvement of various machinery instruments and appliances used in the sugar industry and the trade or industries allied therewith and for developing new ones for manufacturing, testing and recording purposes:
• To carry on research into the improvement of various processes of sugar manufacture with a view to securing greater efficiency, reducing losses, affecting rationalization and reducing cost;
• To carryon research into the working conditions of the sugar and allied industries in relation to employment and proper utilization of man power;
• To promote studies relating to costing, pricing and marketing of sugarcane and other sugar bearing plants, sugar, by-products and other products as may be manufactured there from;
• To promote studies in respect of Khandasari and Jaggery preparation with a view to securing greater efficiency, reducing losses and reducing cost of preparation increasing production etc;
• To provide for teaching and training in Sugarcane and Sugar Technology, Sugar Engineering, Sugar Industry Management and such other allied disciplines as the institute may think fit including refresher courses for the persons engaged in the sugar or allied industries and also hold examinations and grant degree and diploma and other academic distinctions or honours;
• To take such steps as would be deemed necessary to encourage discoveries, inventions and such other activities towards the improvement of processes, materials and designs as would be of use to the Institute and the industry;
• To conduct applied research in sugarcane in factory areas as well as in Institute in collaboration with Agricultural Universities;
• To promote faster direct linkage with sugar factories and farmers to evolve suitable and effective system to increase per acre sugar production and to develop projects in the factory areas to faster cane development.
• To develop means and methods to propagate to the factory areas for production of cane in quality and quantity;
• To promote intensive development of cane to boost per acre sugar production through research.