Betel leaves growers in Madurai find the going tough

MADURAI: Many betel leaf growers in parts of Madurai district find the going tough as they could hardly find a sustainable solution to the challenges they face.

Betel leaves were cultivated largely as a major cash crop in Sholavandan. But, now the cultivation has fallen sharply to just 10 acres against 150 acres 15 years ago, S Thiraviam, president, Sholavandan Vetrilai Kodikal Vivasayigal Sangam, said on Sunday.

Since the creeper was vulnerable to insect, pest attacks and rot disease of betel vine, many farmers, who solely relied on it, became indebted and gave up, before migrating to Tirupur, Coimbatore and Sivakasi. It’s unfortunate that betel leaves were not covered under crop insurance programme.

Betel leaves farming is a highly laborious process, causing hardship in employing needed labour force. Despite incurring production cost of Rs 2,000 for cultivating a kilo of betel leaves, they could not turn a profit. But, there’s still a robust demand for ‘Agra Pari,’ a big betel leaf species in Delhi and thousand kilos of such Sholavandan grown betel leaves is being transported on a daily average. Apart from this, the growers were catering to demands of local markets in Madurai, Sivakasi, Kovilpatti and Srivilliputhur.

Another aggrieved farmer, S Panneerselvam from Ponmeni, Madurai, who cultivated on 20 cents of leased land said he could not cope with factors such as lack of labour and extreme infestation in crop. On the positive side, a kilo of ‘Naattu Vetriali’ fetches Rs 150 and it’s market value almost doubled when compared to the last two years. But, production has shrunk to a large extent.

Since the crop fields were vulnerable to recurrent pest attacks and caused major loss, only four farmers are now thinking whether to take up cultivation this year.

Years ago, skilled labourers were hired from Irumbadi village for crop sowing. But, presently, only few labourers aged 60 and above are engaged in fields. If the situation continues, betel leaves cultivation could cease in another two or three years, Panneerselvam told DT Next.

M Karnan, president, Vetrilai Kodikal Vivasayigal Sangam, Achampathu, said almost four acres of cultivation was destroyed by strong winds this March, he said.

Official sources said inspections would be made to check whether the crop was affected by pests and insisted on adopting proper pest control measures.