Convicts in the Tiruchi Central Prison harvested shallots cultivated on the prison grounds and begun selling them at the Prison Bazaar.
A section of convicts out of 1,300 inmates in the prison undertakes agricultural activities, cultivating rice, sugarcane and maize, among other crops. Taking stock of the need for onions and shallots, the seeds were sown nearly three months ago, said Prison superintendent K. Shankar. The shallots were put on sale at the Prison Bazaar from today, he said on Wednesday.
‘We have planted shallots on half an acre of land within the prison campus. After a three-month period, they are ready for harvest. A yield of about half a tonne is expected. The onions will be sold at least 20 % cheaper than the market price,’ he said adding the public are welcome to purchase it from the bazaar.
Convicts are engaged in such activities to keep them occupied and ensure a form of livelihood when they are released, said a prison official. ‘They make soaps, embroidery, learn tailoring and other skills. Even at the prison, a percentage of profit of sales is given to them as a salary,’ he said.
