1.5 lakh plantains to be grown at Vallachira

Cultivation is being initiated under Green Puthukkad

As many as 1.5 lakh plantains will be cultivated in the Vallachira panchayat under the Puthukkad Sustainable Development Project.

The cultivation is being initiated under Green Puthukkad, a project to preserve biodiversity and water, and ensure food security.

Kudumbashree will be the nodal agency for Green Puthukkad. Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan will inaugurate the project on June 3.

C. Ravindranath, Puthukkad MLA, told reporters here on Wednesday that Vallachira panchayat would be converted into a ‘Robusta village’ in the first phase of Green Puthukkad.

“At least one plantain will be grown in each house. Kudumbashree will grow Robusta on a massive scale. About 50,000 tissue culture-derived cultivars will be grown initially. An additional 50,000 cultivars will be distributed on July 3. In all, 1.5 lakh Grand naine cultivars will be distributed,” he said. An amount of Rs.7.67 lakh has been sanctioned from the MLA’s fund for growing plantains. Mattathur Labour Cooperative Society will be in charge of marketing the produce.

Green Puthukkad will also promote cultivation of red sandalwood tree, sandalwood tree, Ashoka, Aryaveppu, Neermaruthu, Ongu, Chiku, pomegranate tree, Narakam, Nelli, tamarind tree, Chembakam, Konna, Mandaram, Poovarasu and Mahogany.

Sixteen varieties each of pepper and ladies finger, 17 types of brinjal, 14 kinds of cashew and 192 varieties of jackfruit will be grown in Puthukkad.

Green Puthukkad is being implemented with the support of the Agriculture Department, Kerala Agricultural University, Forest Department, Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Kerala Medicinal Plant Board, Kerala State Horticulture Mission, Kudumbashree, Education Department, cooperative societies and local bodies.