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Director's Message
Welcome and Greetings! Spices have a profound influence on the course of human civilization. Spices are nature's gift to humankind and gold mine of natural bioactive compounds. Spices are not only added flavour and taste to our food but also enhance keeping quality and medicinal values of food. India is known as the ‘Land of Spices’ and is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices and spice products. Out of the 109 spices listed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), India produces as many as 63 owing to its varied agro-climatic regions. Out of the total 63 spices grown in India, 20 are classified as seed spices distinguished as annual herbs, whose dried seed or fruits are used as spices. Seed spices share 45 per cent area and about 18 per cent of total spice production of the country. Main seed spices of India are coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, dill, ajwain, celery, anise nigella and caraway.
At ICAR-NRCSS we are continuously addressing diverse agricultural issues related to water and land resources management, crop improvement, crop protection, agro-processing and socio-economic aspects in a holistic manner for enhancing research capacity and for providing a backstopping for improvement in productivity, sustainability and quality with reference to export value of seed spices which play an important role in national economy. The Centre has now completed two decade and has achieved many major achievements. The Institute has already developed 26 varieties of 8 seed spice crops. These varieties are gaining popularities among seed spice growers of country and play an important role in enhancing productivity up to one tone per hectare. Production and protection technologies developed by institute left a strong impression among all the seed spice stakeholders by ensuring an increase in the income of seed spices growing farmers, provide good produce to the consumers as well as raise the profit of all the stakeholder which in turn has fulfilled the dream of doubling the farmers income and earning more foreign exchange in the country. Journey is continue on the path of seed spice growers welfare with the team of dedicated scientists, technical and other supporting staff of the institute.
Dr. S.N. Saxena
About ICAR-NRCSS
The ICAR-National Research Centre on Seed Spices is an apex centre of Indian Council of Agricultural Research working on improvement of seed spices and betterment of their stakeholders since its inception in 2000. The mandate of this institute is to carry out basic, applied and strategic research for the improvement of seed spices crops.
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