TNAU signs pact with institute in Lucknow for Aroma Mission

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) here today signed an MoU with Lucknow-based CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatics Plants (CIMAP) to implement the Aroma mission and phytopharmaceutical projects and rural technologies in the state.

Both the institutes have also agreed to undertake joint R&D projects in areas of mutual interests.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of Vice-Chancellor of TNAU Dr K Ramasamy and director of CIMAP Dr A K Tripathi.

The Aroma mission involves promoting cultivation of aromatic crops for essential oils that are in great demand by the aroma industry.

The mission is expected to enable farmers and the aroma industry to become global leaders in the production and export of some other essential oils on the pattern of menthol mint.

Under the agreement, CIMAP would provide quality planting material of identified aromatic crops to the farmers in the first year for mutually agreed acreage, a press release from TNAU said.

Also, there would be provision of processing facility (distillation unit) of appropriate capacity depending on strategic requirement or area under cultivation at farmers field and facilitating marketing /sale of the produce, the release said.

The MoU would be for a period of three years and would be renewed for a mutually agreed period, it added.