ICAR Indian Institute of Spices Research celebrated its Foundation Day, marking the occasion with several new initiatives. The foundation day programmes were inaugurated by Dr. A K Singh, Deputy Director General, (Horticultural Sciences) ICAR, New Delhi. Dr. S Jayasree Chairperson, Standing Committee (Health), Kozhikode Corporation, and former Principal, Govt arts and science college, Kozhikode was the guest of honour of the day . The meeting was presided by Dr. Vikramadithya Pandey, Assistant Director General (Horticultural Science II), ICAR.
Inaugurating the foundation day Dr. Singh observed that the institute has twice won the best institute award of ICAR at the national level and has earned an impeccable repute in the sphere of spice research, both at the national and international level. The strong growth in domestic spice production and export of spice commodities in the recent years has served the agricultural economy significantly. He appreciated the institute for the successful commercialization of encapsulation technology to Lysterra LLC, a Russian firm. The foundation day lecture was delivered by Dr. Manoj P Samuel, Executive Director, Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), Kozhikode on the topic “Water- Quantity and quality management strategies in view of changing climate scenario’
In a new initiative aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs, the institute launched a traditional recipe product, mallikappi a brew of coriander and spices developed by its off-campus incubatee, Suman Research and Rehabilitation Centre, Palazhi, Kozhikode. The institute will provide support for development and marketing of spice based value added products to the incubatee.
The institute also executed two varietal licensing agreements with M/s. Kesav Plants and Landscapes (Nutmeg varieties, IISR Visvasree and IISR Keralasree) and M/s Olevia Agrofarming Pvt. Ltd.(Black pepper variety, IISR Thevam). As part of its foundation day, the institute conferred spice excellence awards for significant contribution to the spices sector. Mr. Jomy Mathew from Shivamogga district, Karnataka, Colonel Prakash Chand Rana from Himachal Pradesh and Mr M M Joseph from Kozhikode were the individual farmers who won the Spice Award for the year. M/s Namsai Organic Spices and Agricultural Products Producer Co. Ltd. and M/s Attappady Cooperative Farming Society won the Spice Awards in the institutional category for their exemplary interventions in the spices sector. The institute released two extension folders on turmeric and cardamom cultivation. Dr C K Thankamani, Director, ICAR IISR welcomed the gathering. Dr. N K Krishnakumar, Chairman of the Research Advisory Committee of ICAR IISR and Dr. J Rema, Former Director ICAR-IISR offered felicitations. More than 200 participants including former directors of the institute, staff members, farmers and representatives from various institutions took part in the event.
