KLDB center at Mattupetta to be upgraded to a center of excellence of international standard: Minister

Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Bindhu Krishna feeds cattle at the KLDB center in Mattupetta on Monday.

The Cattle Development Center under the Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLDB) at Mattupetta, near Munnar in Idukki, will be upgraded to a center of excellence of international standard, said Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry Minister Bindhu Krishna.

Laying the foundation stone of the international standard Center for Advancement in Livestock Productivity and Research (CALPR) established by KLDB at Mattupetta on Monday, Ms. Krishna said the government has decided to develop the facility into a premier center for research, technology, training and advanced animal husbandry practices.

The minister noted that several projects in the pipeline will develop Mattupetty into a hub capable of attracting international scientists and tourists. She added that the introduction of new projects would create significant local employment opportunities and assured that the Department of Animal Husbandry would oversee the development and protection of the KLDB centre.

Increasing production

Ms. Krishna further said that the government aims to increase milk production across the state to one million liters in the next three years, with the modernization and renovation of the Mattupetta facility playing a central role in achieving this target.

During the event, the Minister also launched the nationwide roll-out of OPU-IVF-ET (Ovum Retrieval, In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer) technologies, launched the new KLDB Farm Software, recognized outstanding dairy farmers and honored top Artificial Insemination (AI) techniques, including private women practitioners of Artificial Intelligence.

According to officials, CALPR aims to promote advanced research and genetic advancement, build institutional research collaborations, facilitate training and knowledge exchange, conduct feed development research, modernize infrastructure, reduce milk production costs to increase farmers’ profitability, and promote scientific livestock management practices.

The center will prioritize genomic selection, embryo transfer technology, in vitro fertilization and modern reproductive techniques suitable for the climatic and agro-ecological conditions of Kerala. In addition to offering research and training facilities to farmers, scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs and start-ups, joint research initiatives will be launched in collaboration with leading national and international institutions.

Devikulam MLA A. Raja presided over the function. Idukki district panchayat president Sheela Stephen, milk development department director Shalini Gopinath and KLDB managing director R. Rajeev among others attended the event.

Published – 09 Nov 2026 20:51 IST