The Regional Agricultural Research Station located in Ambalavayal town is running under Kerala Agricultural University. This institution is about 25 kilometers east of Kalpetta and conducts research programs on crop breeding and management aspects of pepper, ginger, rice, scented rice and cool season vegetables and studies on crop weather relationships, soil fertility management etc. They also perform researches on spices, tropical as well as sub tropical fruits, vegetables, hill paddy etc. The institution’s main intention is to offer research support to agriculture in the high range zones in Kerala state. RARS also has a nursery with a large collection of rare roses and ornamental plants. Visitors can purchase seeds and saplings from the sales counter of the center. The key function of the station is to provide research support for the developments of Agriculture in the High Range zones which include Wayanad, Idukki districts and Nelliyampathy area in Palakkad district. Cardamom Research Station at Pampadumpara in Idukki district is a substation of RARS in Ambalavayal. The research programs conducting at this institution are crop breeding, management aspects of pepper, ginger, rice, scented rice and cool season vegetables. Studies on crop weather relationships, soil fertility management etc are also undertaken here. These researches and infrastructure development programs are funded by a number of agriculture developmental agencies including Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), National Horticulture Mission (NHM), State Horticulture Mission (SHM), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), India Meteorological department (IMD) and Government of Kerala.
