Director, ICAR-IIHR interacts with Scientists at ICAR Research Complex for NEH, Umiam, Meghalaya on 24 October 2026

The team visited the horticultural fields and nursery units of the Institute. During the visit, valuable suggestions were offered on ongoing vegetable breeding programmes, particularly those involving French bean, pea, cowpea, brinjal and cucurbits. The dragon fruit field and nursery facilities were also visited. Subsequently, a scientific interaction meeting was held in the committee room, with scientists from the Horticulture discipline participating both in person and virtually.

Dr. G. Kadirvel, Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH, briefed the participants on the ongoing research activities of the Institute, highlighting the potential of high-value indigenous crops suited to organic and natural farming systems in the region.

The discussions focused on strengthening horticultural research, promoting high-value crops and identifying opportunities for import substitution. Dr. T. K. Behera, Director, ICAR–IIHR, emphasized the need to identify and promote horticultural crops suitable for organic and natural farming systems. He also suggested introducing pineapple as an intercrop within the existing cropping systems of the region. Furthermore, he highlighted the potential of high-value horticultural crops such as avocado, passion fruit, durian and mangosteen to enhance farmers’ income. He also recommended promoting salad crops such as parsley, celery and lettuce to improve nutritional security and provide economic benefits to farmers.

Dr. A. K. Mohanty, Director, ICAR–ATARI, Zone VII, Umiam, highlighted the success story of Arka Abhed in the North Eastern Hill (NEH) region and emphasized the importance of ICAR–IIHR vegetable seeds in improving vegetable production and productivity. He suggested organizing training programmes for horticulturists in the region on seed production of open-pollinated vegetable varieties to ensure year-round availability of quality seeds. He also recommended establishing direct linkages between licensed vegetable seed producers and farmers in the NEH region to improve farmers’ access to quality seeds and ensure greater benefits.

Dr. T. Sakthivel, Principal Scientist, Division of Fruit Crops, ICAR–IIHR, Bengaluru, participated in the scientific interaction meeting.