Kerala - Palakkad   

Palakkad farmers turn to vegetable farming

Staff Reporter

Loss suffered in paddy cultivation is offset by the new practice

BETTER PROFITS: A farmer of Mundur in his vegetable garden.

PALAKKAD: Palakkad with its varying climatic features and soil conditions is becoming a major centre of organic vegetable cultivation.

The 30-km-long Palakkad gap has considerable influence over the climatic condition in the region. There are eight agro-ecological zones in the district, where crops from cotton to tapioca are cultivated.

The major crops cultivated in the district are paddy, coconut, rubber, groundnut, cotton, cashew, tapioca, palmyrah, tamarind, pulses, banana, tomato, sugarcane, pepper, coffee, ragi and tea.

Since paddy cultivation is not profitable the farmers are trying to cultivate vegetables in paddy fields as an inter-crop. This compensates them for the loss incurred during paddy cultivation to a small extent. Organisations such as Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council and Horticulture Development Society are promoting vegetable and fruit cultivation by giving various incentives.

Some banks have introduced financial assistance for developing `homestead vegetable gardens.' These efforts are helping the farmers to take up vegetable cultivation in a big way, especially in paddy fields and on riverbanks.

The banks of the Bharathapuzha, Bhavani and Siruvani are the main centres of banana and vegetable cultivation.

After one crop of paddy cultivation, the farmers clear the field for the cultivation of vegetables such as pumpkin, brinjal, ladies fingers, banana, bitter gourd, lettuce, cucumber, etc.

This cultivation is known as `palla krishi.'

But growing rubber, coconut and mango is more profitable than vegetable cultivation. Vegetable cultivation is also faced with the problem of pest attack. Added to this is increase in the price of fertilizers and pesticides.

But the farmers on the banks of the Bharathapuzha continue their `palla krishi' despite all odds.

The farmers of Parali, Pirayiri, Lakkidi, Peroor, Thrithala and Ottappalam cultivate vegetables with the help of an indigenously developed `aethem' (thekku pala) pulling water from ponds and river.

The products are taken to the nearby markets which are conducted once a week. Markets such as Vaniyamkulam Chantha, Kuzhalmannam Chantha, Kongad, Mundur, Pathiripala were once famous for these vegetables. But when vegetables from Pollachi and Udhagamandalam captured the markets of Palakkad, most of these village markets disappeared. But now these villages markets are getting revived with the cultivation of vegetables locally.

Health conscious consumers now prefer organic vegetables whenever it is available at an affordable price.

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