CPCRI Kasaragod

ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute

The ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), functioning under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is one of the premier horticultural research institutes in India. Located in Kasaragod, the institute was established in 1916 as a small Coconut Research Station under the former Madras Presidency and has since evolved into one of the country’s leading plantation crop research institutions.

The major mandate crops of CPCRI are:

  • Coconut
  • Arecanut
  • Cocoa
  • Palmyrah

India is currently the world’s largest producer of coconut and ranks third globally in coconut cultivation area. The country also holds the first position in both area and production of arecanut worldwide.

Organizational Structure

The headquarters of CPCRI is situated in Kasaragod district, where research activities related to coconut and cocoa are mainly carried out.

Regional Stations

  • Kayamkulam, Kerala – Research on palmyrah and pests & diseases of coconut
  • Vittal, Karnataka – Research on arecanut and cocoa

Research Centres

  • Kidu, Karnataka – Genetic resources centre for coconut, arecanut, and cocoa
  • Mohitnagar, West Bengal – Research on coconut, arecanut, and cocoa for the Sub-Himalayan Terai region
  • Kahikuchi, Assam – Developmental activities for coconut, arecanut, and cocoa sectors in North-East India

Research Divisions

The research programmes of the institute are organized under the following five major divisions:

  • Crop Improvement
  • Crop Production
  • Crop Protection
  • Physiology, Biochemistry & Post-Harvest Technology
  • Social Sciences

CPCRI also maintains the International Coconut Gene Bank for South Asia at Kidu, Karnataka.

The All India Coordinated Research Project on Plantation Crops, operating under CPCRI, functions through 28 centres across 14 states in India.

Two Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) functioning at Kasaragod and Alappuzha in Kerala undertake agricultural extension activities.

Education and Entrepreneurship Development

The institute provides:

  • Higher education facilities for postgraduate students and research scholars under ICAR
  • Incubation facilities for young entrepreneurs

Infrastructure Facilities

CPCRI possesses several advanced facilities including:

  • State-of-the-art laboratories
  • Experimental research fields
  • International gene bank and germplasm collections
  • Weather monitoring stations
  • High-precision scientific equipment
  • Four-star nurseries producing QR-coded seedlings of coconut, arecanut, and cocoa

Location

The headquarters of CPCRI is located in the heart of the major coconut-growing region of India in Kasaragod.

  • Approximately 5 km from Kasaragod town
  • About 51 km from Mangaluru via National Highway 66
  • Nearest railway station: Kasaragod (5 km)
  • Nearest airport: Mangaluru (60 km)

Geographically, CPCRI is situated at 12.528° N latitude and 74.969° E longitude, at an altitude of 10.7 metres above mean sea level (MSL).

CPCRI