News Excerpt:

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare released a new dwarf coconut variety named ‘Kalpa Suvarna’ and two new hybrid varieties of cocoa developed by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI).

About the newly developed varieties:

• Kalpa Suvarna’ variety is ideal for tender coconut and copra production. 
  • The variety starts blooming 30-36 months after planting. Its fruits are large-sized, oblong, and green in colour. 
  • Its tender nut water content is 431 ml and the copra content is around 186 grams with an oil content of 64.5%. 
  • The variety yields 108 to 130 nuts per palm every year under good management. It is recommended for cultivation in Karnataka and Kerala.
• Coca varieties
  • The coca varieties: -  VTL CH I and VTL CH II, released have high fat and nutrient contents.
  • The VTL CH I is a high yielder and can be cultivated as an intercrop both in arecanut and coconut plantations. 
    • It is suitable for traditional Karnataka and Kerala belts and Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh also.
  • The VTL CH II is also a high yielder. It is tolerant to black pod rot which is high in high rainfall regions. 
    • It is suitable for Karnataka and Kerala and will also be released for Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
  • The yield of both the varieties is 1.5 kg to 2.5 kg dry bean per tree per year.

About CPCRI:

• The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) initially established in 1916 has the mandate to undertake research on Coconut, Arecanut and Cocoa.
• CPCRI Headquarter is located at Kasaragod district of Kerala which lies in the heart of the major coconut growing areas of the country. 
• Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) was established in 1970 as one of the agricultural research institutes in the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). 
• The Institute had the mandate to undertake research on coconut, arecanut, cocoa, cashew, oil palm and spices at the time of establishment. 
• The research on cashew, oil palm and spices were later delinked from CPCRI to form separate institutes. 
• In 2023 a new mandate crop, Palmyra Palm was added to its institute. 

About ICAR:

• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. 
• Formerly known as Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, it was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in pursuance of the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture. 
• The ICAR has its headquarters at New Delhi. 
• The Council is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country. 
• With 113 ICAR institutes and 74 agricultural universities spread across the country this is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.

Conclusion:

The release of new coconut and cocoa varieties by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) signifies a significant step towards enhancing agricultural productivity and quality. These varieties offer improved yields, disease resistance, and suitability to various regions, showcasing the institute's commitment to agricultural advancement and sustainability.