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About Us

Historical Background

The sugar cane plant was introduced into Mauritius by the Dutch settlers in 1639.

Sugar was manufactured for the first time in 1696. The sugar industry expanded in the 19th century and sugar production reached 150 000 tonnes in 1862 from 52 000 hectares of cane.

Organized research started with the creation of the Station Agronomique in 1893. A special section on sugar cane research was established at the Department of Agriculture in 1930. Following recommendations made by the Mauritius Economic Commission in 1947 the sugar industry decided to organize and conduct its own research. Thus, the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, was founded in 1953 with the mandate "to promote by means of research and investigation the technical progress of the sugar industry".

Today, technologies developed at the Institute have helped the industry reach an average annual production of about 600 000 tonnes of sugar from around 72 000 hectares of cane.

 

 Organisation Chart

The MSIRI is a statutory body financed by a global cess on sugar produced by all cane growers. It employs some one hundred and fifty scientists and technicians. It is governed by a Board of Directors, comprising seven representatives of millers, growers and the Chamber of Agriculture and three Government representatives.

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS


 

DIRECTOR
[ Dr René Ng Kee Kwong, B Sc (Reading), PhD (Sask) ]
rnkkwong@msiri.mu
AGRONOMY
BIOLOGY
ENGINEERING
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Agricultural Chemistry
Mr Assenjee Bholah

assenjee.bholah@msiri.mu

Biotechnology
Dr Asha Dookun-Saumtally
asha.saumtally@msiri.mu

Sugar Technology
& Sugar Engineering

Dr Kassiap Deepchand

kassiap.deepchand@msiri.mu

Administration & Human Resource Development
Mr Satish Deena
Cultural Operations & Weed Agronomy
Dr Suman Seeruttun

suman.seeruttun@msiri.mu
Cane Breeding
Dr Kishore Ramdoyal
kishore.ramdoyal@msiri.mu
Workshop, Transport & Maintenance
Mr Ajay Mungun
ajay.mungun@msiri.mu
 
Library, Scientific Information & Publications
Mrs Rosemay Ng Kee Kwong

rosemay.ngkeekwong@msiri.mu
Irrigation
Dr Ronald Ng Cheong
ronald.ngcheong@msiri.mu
Entomology
Dr Seelavarn Ganeshan

seelavarn.ganeshan@msiri.mu
 
Economics
Mr Jean Tonta
Plant Physiology
Mr Rasack Nayamuth
 
Food Crop Agronomy
Mr Mukesh Rughoo

mukesh.rughoo@msiri.mu
 

 

 
 
 
Extension & Field Experimentation
Mr Gopal Pillay
gopal.pillay@msiri.mu
Plant Pathology
Dr Salem Saumtally

salem.saumtally@msiri.mu
 
 
 
 

 
The Mauritius Herbarium
Dr Claudia Baider
clbaider@msiri.mu