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.