Fri Jan 02 15:43:51 UTC 2026: Summary:
The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) in Kasaragod, Kerala, is celebrating its 110th Foundation Day on January 5, 2026. To mark the occasion, CPCRI, under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), will host the 26th Plantation Crops Symposium, a three-day event focusing on the future of the plantation sector. The symposium will bring together scientists, policymakers, industry representatives, and farmers to discuss challenges and opportunities, research priorities, climate change adaptation, resource efficiency, pest management, value addition, and farmer income enhancement. The event emphasizes the importance of plantation crops to India’s agricultural GDP and exports, and it highlights the collaboration between various research institutes and boards to promote innovation, sustainability, and farmer welfare in the plantation sector. The celebration will also include the licensing of new crop varieties, technology transfer agreements, and recognition of outstanding farmers and CPCRI staff.
News Article:
CPCRI Celebrates 110th Anniversary with Focus on Future of Plantation Crops
MANGALURU, January 2, 2026 – The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), a leading national institute dedicated to plantation crops research, is set to celebrate its 110th Foundation Day on January 5th, 2026, in Kasaragod, Kerala.
Coinciding with the anniversary, CPCRI, operating under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), will host the 26th Plantation Crops Symposium. The three-day event, themed “Future proofing plantation sector for well being and welfare,” will provide a platform for over 200 scientists, academicians, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and progressive farmers to discuss the evolving landscape of plantation crops.
“The symposium is a crucial opportunity to deliberate on emerging challenges and opportunities, especially as we look towards research priorities for 2047,” stated K. Balachandra Hebbar, Director of CPCRI.
Key issues to be addressed include climate change adaptation, resource-use efficiency, pest and disease management, value addition, mechanization, carbon sequestration, and strategies for boosting farmer income. The event will highlight the significant contribution of plantation crops, which, despite occupying a small percentage of India’s cultivated area, account for nearly 10% of the agricultural GDP and over 14% of agricultural exports.
The symposium underscores the collaborative efforts of organizations such as ICAR–IIOPR, ICAR–DCR, ICAR–IISR, UPASI, CCRI, RRII, CDB, and the Spices Board in driving innovation, promoting sustainability, and enhancing farmer welfare within the plantation sector.
The celebration will feature the licensing of new crop varieties, the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for technology transfer, and recognition of progressive farmers and outstanding CPCRI staff. The CPCRI, established in 1916, has a long history of contributing to the plantation crops sector through research, innovation, and technology dissemination. They play a crucial role in coconut, arecanut, cocoa and palmyrah crop development and technologies that have enhanced productivity and sustainability.
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