Better life from a forest produce

Kattupadavalam is sustaining the life of tribespeople as well as forest environment

February 23, 2018 10:53 pm | Updated February 24, 2018 06:56 pm IST - Giji K.RamanIDUKKI

 A family with dried kattupadavalam at a forest settlement in the Marayur Sandalwood Division in Idukki, right; a cross-section of the commodity.

A family with dried kattupadavalam at a forest settlement in the Marayur Sandalwood Division in Idukki, right; a cross-section of the commodity.

An initiative started nearly seven years back has sparked a major change in the tribal settlement areas of the Marayur Sandalwood Division, providing good income to the tribespeople and sustaining the forest environment.

Kattupadavalam , a variety of Trichosanthes cucumerina (snake gourd), that grows naturally in the forest is in demand in ayurvedic medicines.

Tribespeople used to collect and sell it to local agents though at a paltry sum along with other forest produce.

At the initiative of the Forest Department, the tribespeople under the Vana Samrakshana Samiti (VSS) started cultivating kattupadavalam in the settlement areas seven years back.

An agreement was also signed with ayurvedic medicine manufacturers every year to sell the commodity through the VSS.

The initiative has achieved the twin objective of reducing the pressure on forests while providing a regular income to the trribespeople.

This year five tonnes of kattupadavalam was sent to the Kottakal Arya Vaidya Sala, Marayur Range Officer Job J.Neriyamparabil told The Hindu . “The root, vine, and fruit are collected and dried in the sun before being packed,” he added.

Kattupadavalam is cultivated in as many as 10 tribal settlements, including Kuthukallukudy, Karpoorakudy, Periyakudy, Nellipettykudy, Vengaparakudy, and Kavakudy.

“Wild animals do not destroy the plant as it is bitter. The harvesting season of kattupadavalam is from January to April,” Mr. Neriyamparabil said, adding that the commodity fetched ₹157 a kg this year. Of this, the farmer would get ₹150, the VSS ₹5, and the forest development agency ₹2, he said. The agreement was for 22 tonnes of kattupadavalam this season, he added.

Better harvest

Chandran, a farmer at Kavakudy, said he was expecting a better harvest aided by the the good rain last year. “It is a major income for us now,” he said adding that before the cultivation started in the kudies (settlements), the tribes used to sell kattupadavalam at ₹20 to 25 to local agents. Last year, the price per kg was ₹110, he said.

K.V.Binoji, facilitator of the sandalwood division, said kattupadavalam was sold at ₹250 a kg in 2014, which was the maximum price received so far. Following this, its cultivation was taken up in non-settlement areas resulting in over-production and poor demand.

“Now, the cultivation is mostly confined to forest settlements and the price is also on the rise,” he said.

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