The purpose of Committee on Research and Development is to identify and study problems faced by the member countries pertaining to production, pests and diseases, processing and product development, value addition and post harvest processing and to resolve issues.
In 2012, the IPC with the support from member countries constituted the IPC Committee on R&D. Scientists with hands-on experience in pepper research and those in the government spice research institutes were posted as Head/Senior Scientists are the members nominated by the Governments of the IPC member countries and the Chairman of the Committee was elected at the first meeting of the Committee held in Cochin, during 10-11 September 2012.
Since then new works and programmes were undertaken by the IPC Committee on R&D. During 2015 works to develop and produced an important Guideline i.e. Production of Quality Planting Material. The book was launched during the 43rd Session of IPC in Mysore, India during November 2016.
Another important book to be revised is Pepper Production Guide which was published jointly by IPC/FAO in 2005. During the last ten years pepper technologies in production, processing etc have changed a lot and these information need to be compiled and disseminated to pepper farmers, agricultural extensionists and academics.