The Meghalaya Farmers’ Empowerment Council (MFEC) and the Indian Institute of Spices Research (ICAR-IISR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance pepper cultivation in Meghalaya.

The partnership aims to introduce the high-yielding IISR-Chandra pepper variety, which can produce up to 7.5 kg of pepper per vine, to Meghalaya’s farmers, increasing their yield and income.

The MoU seeks to promote research, development, and refinement of technologies in the spices sector, focusing on capacity building, technology dissemination, and introduction of new spice crop varieties.

The agreement includes plans for collaborative exploration, collection, and identification of spice germplasm in Meghalaya, expected to significantly boost the region’s agricultural diversity and productivity.

Dr. V. Srinivasan presented a comprehensive report on the testing, identification, and classification of Meghalaya’s wild pepper, offering valuable insights into the unique characteristics of the region’s wild pepper varieties.