Srinagar, May 19 (JKNS): In a landmark development for India’s horticulture sector, Qul Fruits and Italy-based Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti (CIV Italia), one of the world’s leading fruit breeding and nursery consortia, on Tuesday announced the formation of IVAR (Ivar Variety Management and Genetics Private Limited), India’s first dedicated institutional platform for protected fruit varieties and genetics management.
The press conference was addressed by Khuram Mir, Founder of Qul Fruits; Federico Stanzani, Managing Director of CIV Italia; and Pier Filippo Tagliani, Vice Chairman of CIV Italia.
Established as a strategic joint venture between Qul Fruits and CIV Italia, IVAR has been created to build a structured, transparent and globally aligned framework for varietal introduction, evaluation, stewardship, licensing and breeder protection in India, with an initial focus on the temperate fruit-growing regions of Jammu & Kashmir and the wider Himalayan belt.
The announcement was made during a formal launch event held in Srinagar in the presence of growers, scientists, nursery operators, policymakers, horticulture institutions, industry representatives and stakeholders from across the temperate fruit ecosystem.
The event was attended by Shailendra Kumar, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Agriculture Production Department, Jammu and Kashmir; Dr. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice Chancellor of SKUAST-K; Dr. Mahendra Kumar Verma, Director of the ICAR-Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture (CITH); and Javed Ahmad Bhat, Deputy Director Horticulture.
Officials said Indian horticulture has long faced structural challenges related to fragmented varietal access, unregulated propagation systems, weak enforcement of breeder rights and limited access to advanced global fruit genetics.
IVAR seeks to address these gaps by creating a professionally managed ecosystem benefiting breeders, growers, nurseries, markets and consumers alike.
The platform will facilitate the lawful and scientific introduction of protected fruit varieties into India through internationally aligned systems of licensing, traceability, quality assurance, grower participation and varietal governance.
IVAR will also work closely with nurseries, orchardists and horticulture stakeholders to promote responsible varietal deployment and long-term sectoral sustainability.
Speaking on the occasion, Khuram Mir said, “Kashmir and the greater Himalayan region have always possessed the climate, heritage and growers capable of producing some of the world’s finest fruit. What has long been missing is a trusted institutional framework connecting our growers to the world’s best genetics and varietal systems.”
“Through IVAR, we are building a long-term platform that brings together global science, breeder confidence and farmer participation in a transparent, responsible and future-oriented manner,” he added.
Qul Fruits, a full-stack horticulture enterprise operating across orchard development, post-harvest infrastructure, storage, marketing and distribution, brings extensive farmer integration and on-ground execution capability to the partnership, while CIV Italia contributes decades of global expertise in fruit breeding, genetics, varietal licensing and intellectual property stewardship.
The formation of IVAR is expected to significantly strengthen the quality, productivity and global competitiveness of Indian temperate fruit cultivation while improving farmer access to high-performance genetics and scientifically managed orchard systems.
Officials said the initiative also establishes India as a more…
