Founded in 1957, the Spice and Beverage Research Institute (SBCRI) of CATAS – 香料饮料研究所 is the only national research institute dedicated to the research and development of tropical spice and beverage crops. The institute focuses on a variety of tropical spices and beverage crops, including pepper (Piper nigrum), coffee, vanilla, cacao, cola, Kuding tea (Ilex laticifolia Thunb), and germander (Teucrium maghuzense).
SBCRI includes several specialized platforms, such as the National Center of Important Tropical Crops Engineering and Technology Research Base, the Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Tropical Spice and Beverage Crops, as well as the Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden. The institute is located in Xinglong Hot Springs and employs 114 people, including 60 scientists. Additionally, SBCRI has established 30 demonstration sites to showcase its research and developments.
More information (in Chinese): https://www.catassbri.cn.
