Tribal residents on Jawadhu Hills encouraged to go for commercial crops

Earlier, in these columns, it was reported that the district administration had sanctioned funds for huge ‘dug’ wells capable of irrigating 5 acres each in the hills. However, as many farmers were under the small and marginal category, the Horticultural Department volunteered to fund them for individual dug wells which can irrigate up to 2 acres at a cost of Rs 5.30 lakh each.

“Horticulture officials revealed that this year lychee and silver oak were both introduced to the hills. “While lychee seeds procured from Muzaafarppur in UP were distributed to cover 300 acres, silver oak saplings procured from Mangaluru in Karnataka was distributed to cover 613 acres.”

An official approach is that silver oak in addition to providing high quality wood – equal in value to teak – could also be used as support for pepper plants which are climbers. With pepper already covering 275 acres, officials feel that soon the tribals’ annual trek to Karnataka will stop as the pepper grown locally is of a higher quality and yields around the year.

To ensure marketing avenues for lychee, silver oak and pepper, Tiruvannamalai Collector KS Kandasamy started a farmer producer company at Athipet in the hills. “In about three to four years, farmers will start reaping good returns for their commercial crops,” an official added. However, the move has not been without initial glitches. Officials lamented that lychee raised in substantial acreage wilted as hill farmers were not in the habit of watering the plants.