Indian Institute of Spices Research

Name

Indian Institute of Spices Research

Legal name

ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR)

Website

https://spices.res.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research Services

NAICS

Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Chemicals (2870), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Spice Crop Farming (Pepper, Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg, Cardamom) (AFAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biological Formulation, Fermentation & Scale-Up Manufacturing (AFABAEAM), Oilseed & Pulse Seeds (Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Pea, Lentil, Chickpea) (AFABAFAC)

Keywords

• Agricultural research services
• Spice crop technology
• Biocontrol products
• Spice variety development
• Agricultural extension services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kozhikode

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding: Primary funding through Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for conducting research on spice crops, technology development, and extension services
2. Sale of Planting Materials: Production and distribution of quality planting materials including black pepper rooted cuttings, ginger seed rhizomes, turmeric seed rhizomes, bush pepper, and various spice seedlings
3. Spice Processing Services: Processing facilities offering cleaning, grading, powdering, white pepper production, curry powder production, and incubation services for spice entrepreneurs
4. Agricultural Inputs Sales: Sale of bio-control agents, bio-fertilizers, micronutrient mixtures, fish feed, chicks, and agricultural supplies through KVK outlets

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research is a government agricultural research institute that conducts scientific research on spice crops (black pepper, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, tree spices), develops disease-resistant varieties and proprietary biocontrol products, and disseminates technologies to farmers through its Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) extension network. The institute sells quality planting materials, micronutrient mixtures, biocapsules and value-added spice products, and operates testing/analytical, processing and incubation facilities for spice entrepreneurs.

Product overview

The Indian Institute of Spices Research (ICAR-IISR) operates as a research institute under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), offering a diverse portfolio of agricultural technology products and services. The institute provides mobile applications for four major spice crops (Black Pepper, Turmeric, Ginger, and Cardamom) that deliver cultivation packages, crop management guidelines, and expert advisories to farmers. The product portfolio includes biocontrol agents (Lecanicillin-G, Trichoderma formulations, Bacillich, Pochonia chlamydosporia, Metarhizium pingshaense), innovative delivery technologies (Biocapsules, seed coating technology, Trichoprime), crop-specific micronutrient mixtures (IISR Power Mix series), and specialized formulations (Tricholime, Bactolime, Trichogypsum, Bactogypsum). Supporting infrastructure includes DNA fingerprinting, tissue culture, and NABL-accredited chemical testing facilities. The institute also operates incubation facilities for women entrepreneurship (I'MPOWER) and microbial encapsulation (iFAME), along with advanced post-harvest processing facilities and an e-commerce portal (Spiceisry) for product sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ICAR-IISR Mobile Applications (Black Pepper, Turmeric, Ginger, Cardamom) Four mobile applications developed by ICAR-IISR providing standard cultivation packages, crop management guidelines, pest control practices and expert advice for spice farmers cultivating black pepper, turmeric, ginger and cardamom.
• Biocapsules Encapsulation Technology Patented encapsulation technology for smart delivery of agriculturally important microorganisms (PGPR/microbes) using gelatin capsules with high microbial population and extended shelf life for spice crop applications.
• Disease-Resistant Spice Varieties Proprietary disease-resistant spice varieties developed for black pepper, cardamom, ginger and turmeric that provide resistance to key pathogens including Phytophthora, root knot nematodes, cardamom mosaic virus and rhizome rot.
• IISR Power Mix Micronutrient Series Crop-specific micronutrient mixtures developed by ICAR-IISR for ginger, turmeric, black pepper and cardamom, with pH-adjusted variants for soil pH below 7 and above 7. Demonstrated to increase ginger yield to 147 q/ha versus 142.5 q/ha in control and reduce soft rot incidence from 16% to 8.5%.
• Biocontrol Agent Product Line Proprietary biocontrol products including Trichoderma asperellum talc formulation, Pochonia chlamydosporia liquid formulation, Bacillus licheniformis (Bacillich) for bacterial wilt management, Lecanicillin-G for cardamom thrips, and Metarhizium pingshaense mycoinsecticide for shoot borer management in ginger, turmeric and cardamom.
• SOIL LAB Software Decision-support software developed by ICAR-IISR for soil test-based fertility classification and fertilizer recommendation for major spice crops including black pepper, turmeric, ginger and cardamom.
• Spice Processing Facility Services Pilot-scale processing facility offering cleaning, grading, powdering, white pepper production, curry powder production, and incubation services for spice entrepreneurs at Peruvannamuzhi and Chelavoor locations.
• NABL-Accredited Chemical Testing Services NABL-accredited chemical testing and analytical services for spice analysis including soil, plant health and manure testing, providing quality assurance and authentication support for spice industry stakeholders.
• DNA Fingerprinting Facility DNA fingerprinting facility providing genetic characterization and authentication services for spice varieties, supporting research institutions, industry and regulatory bodies.
• I'MPOWER Women Entrepreneurship Incubation Incubation facility specifically designed for women entrepreneurship development in the spice sector, providing access to processing infrastructure, technical guidance and business development support.
• iFAME Microbial Encapsulation Incubation Facility Incubation facility for microbial encapsulation technology (iFAME) providing entrepreneurs and researchers access to Biocapsule production infrastructure and proprietary encapsulation know-how.
• Quality Planting Materials & Kisan Seva Kendra Supplies Production and distribution of quality planting materials including black pepper rooted cuttings (Rs.20/RC), bush pepper (Rs.100-750/plant), nutmeg grafts (Rs.300/plant), ginger and turmeric seed rhizomes, plus bio-control agents (Trichoderma Rs.100/kg, Pseudomonas Rs.95/kg) and bio-fertilizers distributed through Kisan Seva Kendra outlet and Krishidhan Nursery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20-25% reduction in usage of chemical pesticides/fertilizers through use of Biocapsules technology
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mangalore University, University of Calicut, Kerala Agricultural University, Bharathiar University, Acharya Nagarjuna UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021ICAR-IISR has been recognized as a centre for doctoral studies by multiple universities, enabling joint supervision of PhD students and collaborative research programs in agricultural sciences and spice research
• AICRP on Spices (All India Coordinated Research Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-institutional research network coordinated through ICAR for collaborative research on spices across different agro-climatic zones of India
• Spices Board, KochiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollaboration for evaluation of new generation insecticides and label claim expansion for spice crop protection products

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR): ICAR sister institute based in Bengaluru focused on horticultural crops, including fruits, vegetables, and ornamental crops. Operates with the same ICAR mandate, develops FLDs and varieties, provides planting material, and runs farmer extension programs structurally analogous to ICAR-IISR's spice mandate.
• ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI): Sister ICAR research institute based in Kasaragod, Kerala, focused on plantation crops (coconut, arecanut, cocoa, cashew). Both institutes share the ICAR parent, government funding structure, KVK extension model, and a mandate to deliver crop improvement, crop protection, and post-harvest technologies to Indian farmers.
• Kerala Agricultural University (KAU): State agricultural university headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala, conducting applied agricultural research including on spices, and recognized as a centre for doctoral studies in partnership with IISR. Comparable in developing varieties, technologies, and providing extension to Kerala farmers, with overlapping scientific staff and shared geographic focus.
• Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU): Major state agricultural university conducting crop improvement research on spices and other crops across Tamil Nadu. Comparable in delivering varieties, technologies, and extension services to spice farmers in a complementary geography, with parallel AICRP-on-Spices participation.

Broad incumbents

• Spices Board India: Statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce coordinating Indian spice export development, quality control, and trade promotion. Comparable as a government-affiliated industry body collaborating with IISR on label-claim expansion and crop protection product evaluation, while operating a much broader export-and-trade mandate.
• International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT): Global CGIAR research center headquartered in Hyderabad focused on semi-arid crops, with comparable breeding, germplasm, and biocontrol programs. Comparable as a public-sector crop research institute delivering improved varieties and technologies, though with a different crop mandate and global rather than national scope.
• ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI): Premier ICAR research institute (Pusa, New Delhi) covering a much wider crop mandate (wheat, rice, vegetables, etc.) with national scope. Comparable as the apex ICAR research organization from which IISR's structure, IP regime, and AICRP coordination model are derived, though IARI's mandate breadth dwarfs IISR's spice focus.

Others

• Synthite Industries: India's largest private spice extract and oleoresin manufacturer based in Kerala, sourcing spice raw material and operating downstream of IISR's varietal and crop-protection mandate. Comparable as a downstream value-chain participant that benefits from IISR's varieties and quality standards, though Synthite is a commercial processor while IISR is a public research body.
• World Spice Organisation: Industry body representing Indian and global spice trade interests, including producers, processors, and exporters. Comparable as a spice-sector stakeholder network that interfaces with IISR's research output, though its primary focus is industry advocacy and trade rather than R&D.

Regional players

• Punjab Agricultural University (PAU): State agricultural university in Ludhiana delivering crop research, varieties, and extension services primarily to farmers in Punjab and northwestern India. Comparable in operating an integrated research-extension-publishing model analogous to IISR's, though its primary spice mandate is absent and its geographic focus is non-overlapping.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kvkcalicut
• YouTubeyoutube.com/kvkcalicut
• Facebookfacebook.com/kvkcalicut

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Indian Institute of Spices Research