An egg-shaped dark pink fruit, though popular in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, is yet to find many takers in Kerala.
Now is the time to savour tamarillo, the sour-sweet fruit, rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and iron, grown on the hills of Marayur and Kanthallur for long. Locally known as Marathakkali, the tree is widely seen on the courtyards of houses there.
However, like many fruits grown in Kanthallur, tamarillo is not commercially marketed. But now, with the spread of farm tourism, its fortunes have soared. Chandran Valiyaveettil, a fruit farmer, said many tourists were keen on buying tamarillo. “Those visiting the farms buy the fruit at ₹60 to ₹100 a kg. It does not perish easily,” Mr. Chandran said. Tamarillo’s stock is yet to go up in fruit stalls, though.
This year, delayed monsoon slowed down the ripening of the fruit and the plants, sporting colourful fruits, are now a visual treat to the farm visitors at Kanthallur. The plants need favourable climate and soil conditions and are not commonly grown in the country. Sikkim is the main producer.
No-maintenance tree
The plants that grew to a height of five metres provided up to 20 kg of fruit and needed no care, Mr. Chandran said.
Chemical pesticides or fertilisers are rarely used and the crop is resistant to pests.
Till recently, the fruits were given for free to those visiting the farms, he added. The trees would yield fruit in four years and continue to do so up to 12 years. Prior to the arrival of apple, it was considered a major produce of Kanthallur, like the local oranges.
Farmers largely destroyed it for growing fruit varieties that have commercial value, such as apple, plum, or ‘sabarjilli’.
Now, with farm tourism gaining popularity, tamarillo too is in demand, said Muthukumar, a vegetable and fruit farmer.
