Dr. K.B. Hebbar, Director of the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, provided valuable insights during the inauguration of our regional office in Mangaluru. The event, featured in The Hindu on November 16, 2023, showcased the release of new products kalpasara bio-fertilizer, dry chutney powder and coconut oil. The regional office, inaugurated on this occasion, proudly serves as our 11th branch.
Dr. Hebbar shared that CPCRI is actively developing germplasms of coconuts with distinctive characteristics, including a variety with a soft kernel. The institute, under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is working towards promoting the cultivation of coconuts with specific flavors and aromas.
During his address, Dr. Hebbar also highlighted the institute’s plans to create a dwarf coconut variety suitable for extracting ‘neera’ and emphasized the ongoing development of a standard operating procedure (SOP) for coconut pest control and micro-nutrient application. He encouraged arecanut and coconut growers, expressing optimism about future opportunities such as carbon credit trading. Click here to read the full article.
