A major step towards organized spice research in India began with the launch of the All India Coordinated Spices and Cashew Improvement Project (AICSCIP) in 1971 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, Kerala. To further strengthen research in spices, ICAR established a dedicated Regional Station of CPCRI at Kozhikode, Kerala, in 1975, marking the beginning of focused, independent spice research in the country.
In 1986, the Regional Station at Kozhikode was upgraded to the National Research Centre for Spices (NRCS) by merging it with the Cardamom Research Centre of CPCRI at Appangala, Karnataka, which became its regional station. To further enhance and consolidate spice research efforts across the country, NRCS was elevated to the status of the Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR) in 1995, marking a new era of dedicated research and development in the Indian spice sector.
