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Technical Kisanखेती, तकनीक के साथ
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Mint (Pudina / Mentha)Zaid / summerSucker (improved variety)Updated 23 September 2026

CIM-Kranti

CSIR-CIMAP cold- and frost-tolerant menthol mint (half-sib selection, released 2013) with about 80% menthol; stays green and grows through winter when other varieties die back, and gives 10–12% more oil than the best checks in the main summer crop.

SeasonZaid / summer
Maturity periodAbout 90–120 days to the first cut in the main spring crop
Expected yieldMain crop: 10–12% more oil than the best check varieties; winter crop: about 100 kg oil/ha (CIMAP)
Suitable soilWell-drained, organic-matter-rich loam or sandy loam

Quick facts

Crop
Mint (Pudina / Mentha)
Type
Sucker (improved variety)
Season
Zaid / summer
Maturity period
About 90–120 days to the first cut in the main spring crop
Seed rate
About 400–450 kg of fresh suckers per hectare (roughly 160–180 kg per acre)
Expected yield
Main crop: 10–12% more oil than the best check varieties; winter crop: about 100 kg oil/ha (CIMAP)
Suitable soil
Well-drained, organic-matter-rich loam or sandy loam
Release
Released 2013 · CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow (registered in the Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Sciences, 2013)

About this variety

CIM-Kranti is a high-yielding, cold- and frost-tolerant menthol mint (Mentha arvensis) from CSIR-CIMAP, developed by half-sib progeny selection and released in 2013 (registered in the Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Sciences). The oil carries about 80% menthol. Its distinctive trait is winter growth: from September to January, when other varieties die back in cold and frost, CIM-Kranti stays green and keeps growing, and CIMAP reports it can give about 100 kg of oil per hectare from a winter crop — two to three times what other varieties give in winter. In the main summer crop it gives 10–12% more oil than the best check varieties. It is promoted with Kosi under the CSIR Aroma Mission.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeSucker (improved variety)
    MaturityAbout 90–120 days to the first cut in the main spring crop
    Yield potentialMain crop: 10–12% more oil than the best check varieties; winter crop: about 100 kg oil/ha (CIMAP)
    Disease resistanceCold- and frost-tolerant; no specific disease resistance claimed
    SoilWell-drained, organic-matter-rich loam or sandy loam
    SeasonZaid / summer

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeMain crop: February to early March like other varieties; its cold tolerance also lets it be grown through winter (September–January)
  • Seed rateAbout 400–450 kg of fresh suckers per hectare (roughly 160–180 kg per acre)
  • SpacingRows 45–60 cm apart, suckers laid end to end (about 10 cm apart) in furrows 5–6 cm deep
  • Sowing methodLay fresh, healthy suckers in moist furrows, cover lightly with soil and irrigate at once
  • IrrigationA light irrigation at planting and a week later, then about every 10–12 days through the summer (roughly ten irrigations); stop about a week before each cut
  • FertilizerAbout 120 kg N, 60 kg P₂O₅ and 40 kg K₂O per hectare with about 20 t FYM, the nitrogen split over three to four doses including one right after the first cut (NHB mint package)
  • HarvestingFirst cut when the crop is in full leaf and lower leaves begin yellowing, on a sunny day; second cut about 80–90 days later

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Well-drained loam or sandy loam rich in organic matter, pH about 6–8.2
Irrigation
Good drainage is essential — water must never stand around the suckers and stolons

Climate

Maturity
About 20–40°C through the growing period
Irrigation
Light rain at planting and dry, sunny weather at harvest; largely an irrigated crop in the plains

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

About 90–120 days to the first cut in the main spring crop

Expected yield

Main crop: 10–12% more oil than the best check varieties; winter crop: about 100 kg oil/ha (CIMAP)

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

Pest & disease considerations

Management notes

  • Plant fresh, healthy suckers dipped in a recommended fungicide, and renew planting stock every couple of years.
  • Keep the crop weed-free from about 4 to 14 weeks after planting — nutsedge is the worst weed.
  • Cut on a bright, sunny day and distil the same or next day; give nitrogen and water straight after the first cut.

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • Cold- and frost-tolerant — stays green and grows through winter (September–January)
  • About 100 kg oil/ha from a winter crop, 2–3 times other varieties in winter (CIMAP)
  • 10–12% more oil than the best check varieties in the main summer crop

Things to consider

  • Cold tolerance does not protect against powdery mildew, rust or weeds
  • Winter-crop figures are CIMAP trial results — farm returns depend on management and on having a distillation unit
  • Confirm genuine planting material with CIMAP or a KVK before buying suckers

Suitable regions

States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.

  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Uttarakhand
  • Punjab
  • Haryana

Frequently asked questions

Why choose CIM-Kranti?

For its cold and frost tolerance. It stays green and keeps growing through winter (September–January) when other varieties die back, and CIMAP reports about 100 kg oil/ha from a winter crop. In the main summer crop it gives 10–12% more oil than the best check varieties, with about 80% menthol. It was released in 2013.

Does CIM-Kranti resist diseases?

Its documented strength is cold and frost tolerance, not disease resistance. Manage powdery mildew, rust and stolon rot as for any menthol mint — clean planting stock, no crowding, and a timely fungicide at the first sign.

Sourced from: CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, CSIR Aroma Mission, National Horticulture Board — Mint. editorial policy.