Centre plans boost for cardamom biz

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar reviews the functioning of Cardamom Research Centre in Madikeri, Karnataka

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today reviewed the functioning of Cardamom Research Centre in Madikeri in Karnataka.

Pawar, who is on a two-day tour of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-affliated institutes in Karnataka, is scheduled to return to Delhi on Saturday.

On Sunday last, Pawar had taken ill at a public function near Sangli in Maharashtra and had to be air-lifted to Pune. "He is fine now and travelling," a close aide of Pawar said.

Cardamom Research Centre, Appangala, is located in Hervanadu village of Madikeri Taluk, Kodagu, Karnataka on the Madikeri- Bhagamandala Road, 8 km from Madikeri, in an area of 17.4 ha. The CRC Appangala is the only ICAR Research Centre working on cardamom, has been playing an important role in conducting research on cardamom and cardamom-based cropping systems, for increasing cardamom productivity.

During 2012, the centre celebrated its 50th anniversary and has been working closely with many stakeholders for development of the crop.

"I recall with nostalgia the day the centre was handed over to us in 1986 with "Queen of Spices" as the mandate crop. The release of the first IISR cardamom variety 'Kodagu Suvasini' in 1997 followed by 'IISR Avinash' and 'IISR Vijetha' in 2001 was a watershed in CRCs research agenda. Subsequent research endeavours included our commitment to deliver technologies for sustainable use and evolve varieties tolerant to pests and diseases, climate change, drought etc not only for cardamom but also for black pepper. The technology to get sustainable production of black pepper despite delayed monsoon is well-accepted and appreciated by planters of this region. Germplasm collection and conservation has always been our forte and the CRC now has in its fold around 436 accessions of cardamom, making it one of the largest germplasm collections in the world besides being the National Active Germplasm Site (NAGS)," M Anandaraj, Director, Indian Institute of Spices Research Said recently.