Tamil Nadu: ICAR mulls upgrade of NRCs

Tiruchirapalli, Oct 28: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is considering a proposal to upgrade the National Research Centres (NRCs) on Horticulture Crops into Project Directorates.

Addressing a press conference here yesterday, ICAR Deputy Directorate-General (Horticulture) H P Singh said, at present there are 12 NRCs, carrying out research on horticulture crops.

Upgrading the NRCs into Project Directorates would help to network the research carried out by them, he said.

Dr Singh said the ICAR was considering a proposal to establish a separate directorate for floriculture.

He said the National Horticulture Mission, which commenced in 2006 with a financial allocation of Rs 2,300 crore, managed to raise more awareness among the farmers.

He said the ICAR had taken up six internationally-aided research projects.

On banana, he said the country's production had increased to 19 million tonnes from nine million in 1993. The productivity had increased to a national average of 34 to 37 tonnes a hectare.

The country had set a production target of 25 million tonnes by 2020.

Dr Singh said efforts were on to coordinate research activities on banana-based value added products.

UNI