The Horticultural Crop Research and Development Institute (HoRDI) is vested with the responsibility of technology development concerning vegetables, fruits, root and tuber crops and floriculture. The research programme focuses on the development of improved crop varieties, new propagation methods, post harvest and food processing methods, the use of protected culture and ensuring better plant health with fewer defendants on chemicals. 

Vision
Achieve excellence through development of horticultural crops for prosperity of the nation.

Mission
Function as the national centre for research and development of sustainable and productive technologies for horticultural crops to ensure economic and social development ofthe farmers, and other stakeholders.

Objectives

• Utilize domestic and global bio-diversity to develop high quality and high yielding varieties of fruits, vegetables and root and tuber crops
• Generate technologies for sustainable and productive horticulture development through basic, applied and adaptive research
• Develop capabilities on post harvest technology, agroprocessing, product development, value addition and optimum utilization of horticulture products
• Undertake on-farm research through farmer participatory approaches to strengthen research
  extension and farmer linkages
• Strengthen collaborative research with universities, public and private sector institutions to share resources and expertise

Research Thrusts

• Breeding of high quality & high yielding varieties of fruits vegetables and root and tuber crops
• Crop management including crop establishment, pruning training etc.
• Technology for conventional and rapid propagation of planting material
• Environmentally friendly, safe and economically viable pest management technologies.
• Soil productivity enhancement through nutrient management
• Technology for cultivation in hydroponic and poly tunnels
• Technology for production of organic vegetables and fruits
• Technology for minimizing post-harvest losses, agroprocessing and food product development

Services offered

• Consultation on planning and development of horticulture enterprises
• Analytical services of soil, plant, fertilizer and water
• Pests & disease diagnostic services
• Consultation on land use patterns and soil & water conservation
• Consultation on methods of minimizing post harvest losses, agro-processing and food product development
• Human resource development in horticulture through collaboration with national & international research & educational (universities, technical colleges, farm schools) organizations

History of HORDI
The Department of Agriculture was established in 1912 and the Division of Research was one of its important sections that provide scientific information for establishment of major plantation crops, tea , rubber coconut and other plants of economic and ornamental importance. 

Three separate institutions for tea , rubber and coconut were established and thereafter the Division of Research in the Department of agriculture placed the emphasis on peasant agriculture and established the Central Agricultural Research Institute. 

The foundation stone for new laboratories of the Central Agricultural Research Institute was laid in Gannoruwa on 21 June 1958 by the Honorable S.W.R.D Bandranayake. Honorable Dudley Senanayaka, late Prime Minister of Ceylon, formally declared the Institute open on 6th August 1967.  Apart from the administrative Headquarters housed in the institute, there were Research divisions of Agricultural Botany, Agricultural Chemistry, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Horticulture, Food technology, Minor plantation crops, Tobacco & soil conservation and Statistics. 

With re-structure of the Department of Agriculture, three national Institutes were formed in 1994 to conduct research and development activities on horticulture, rice & field crops. The Central Agriculture Research Institute at Gannoruwa was renamed as Horticultural Crop Research and Development Institute to carryout efficient and intensive research & development work on horticulture.