Harvesting of ginger from a plot of Kulathoor Gram Panchayat. This spice was grown under the Panchayat’s ‘Enji Gramam’ scheme. Photo Credit: Ashwin VN
An agricultural village famous for its paddy and bananas, 35 kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram, is taking root for ginger. For the first time, VK Girijanadhan Nair had to dig up his fields to reap the fruits of his labour. After growing bananas, coconuts and a variety of vegetables on his two-and-a-half-acre plot, this year he added a new crop – ginger.
Although ginger fire and panch are widely used in Kerala cuisine, it is not a widely cultivated crop in Thiruvananthapuram district. It is mostly grown in Idukki and there are hundreds of farmers in Wayanad, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Kannur cultivating it on leased land in Karnataka.
This year, as a pilot project, 250 farmers of Kulathur Gram Panchayat were selected for ginger cultivation. The scheme, ‘Enji Gramam’ (ginger village), was an initiative of the panchayat and Kulathoor Krishi Bhavan. About 10 tonnes (10,000 kg) have been harvested from the first crop.
Anoop SP, Agriculture Assistant, Kulathoor Krishi Bhavan, Sudharjunan G, Panchayat President, Suresh Kumar, Ward Member, Santosh Kumar T, Development Standing Committee Chairman and Chandralekha CS, Agriculture Officer, Kulathoor Krishi Bhavan, with ginger harvested from a plot jury. Panchayat and Krishi Bhavan implemented ‘Engji Gramam’ scheme to promote ginger cultivation. photo credit: ASWIN VN
With its long leaves and slender stalks, ginger fields look delectable. But once ginger is excavated, the plants die and cultivation has to start all over again.
At Arivallur in the panchayat, Thankaraj, Girijanadhan’s employee, piled freshly cut pungent ginger. “I have been working here for 20 years, but have never cultivated ginger. Such a good harvest came as a surprise,” says the sex elder as he fills baskets with the produce.
VK Girijadhan Nair with ginger plants on his plot | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Girijadhan says: “There was no extra cost and it was a hassle free experience. I sowed five kilos of seeds [rhizomes] Between banana and coconut trees and more than 100 kg were harvested. I plan to grow it again on a smaller scale.”
Harvesting of ginger from a plot of Kulathoor Gram Panchayat. This spice was grown under the Panchayat’s ‘Enji Gramam’ scheme. Photo Credit: Ashwin VN
S George, another farmer of the panchayat, is happy to have harvested more than 300 kg of ginger. “I’m the one who grew up Kappa Pazhum (red banana), paddy and vegetables on my two-acre plot. Growing ginger was never in my plan. This fetched me a good price in the market, ₹80 per kg. I will plant the next batch in March-April,” says 65-year-old George.
Panchayat president Sudharjunan ji says that the panchayat has always been cultivating banana, paddy, vegetables and fruits. “This year we focused on ginger. In such a situation, the ‘Engineer Gramam’ project was started in March 2022 under the public plan of the panchayat. This has proved to be a prestigious initiative of the Panchayat and Krishi Bhawan.
Harvesting of ginger from a plot of Kulathoor Gram Panchayat. This spice was grown under the Panchayat’s ‘Enji Gramam’ scheme. Photo Credit: Ashwin VN
Ginger is propagated through seed rhizomes and the variety chosen for the scheme was Rio de Janeiro, a Brazilian variety, whose yield was found to be better than that of local varieties. Five kg of rhizomes were distributed to each farmer in March.
“The total area under cultivation was about two hectares (about five acres). This figure includes households where crops were grown in grow bags and pots. There were farmers with two cents and others with 10 or 15 cents. The aim was to encourage more and more people to take up ginger cultivation,” says Chandralekha CS, Agriculture Officer, Kulathur Krishi Bhavan, and Assistant Director of Agriculture, Parsala Block Panchayat.
It takes eight to 10 months to ripen the crop. Chicken manure, cow dung and dry leaves are used as manure. “Thankfully there were no pest attacks and natural calamities. There were farmers who cultivated more than one unit of rhizomes. Those who planted it in grow bags could get two kilograms of crop from each bag and most of them distributed the produce among their neighbors and relatives. The rest of the crop was sold through A grade cluster markets operated by Krishi Bhavan at Nallurvattam and Mavilakkadavu,” says Chandralekha.