It has been a hectic week for agricultural scientists and farm workers at the Cropping Systems Research Centre (CSRC) under Kerala Agricultural University, located at Nedumcad, near Karamana, here. The centre is busy catering to the demand for paddy spikes (rice panicles) from about 70 temples in the city and the suburbs for the annual Niraputhari festival which is believed to usher in a prosperous harvest season.
Two tonnes of paddy stalks from the 17-acre farm of CSRC have been despatched to over 60 temples. Major temples including the Attukal temple and Pazhavangady Ganapathy temple are likely to receive their share by the weekend.
During the Niraputhari festival, some of the freshly reaped paddy spikes are used to prepare the offering for the deity and the rest are distributed to the devotees. “Until a few years back, the supply of paddy spikes to the temples was dominated by middlemen who dictated prices. We took up the responsibility about 10 years ago and we have been meeting the demand every year. We avoid indiscriminate use of pesticides and maintain quality,” says Jacob John, Professor and Head, CSRC.
The primary mandate of the centre is to cater to the demand for paddy seeds from farmers in the southern districts. The farm has poultry, fish, and livestock as well as crops such as coconut and banana. The centre popularises terrace cultivation and organic farming and manufactures vermicompost.
