Passion fruit is the new passion for farmers of the high ranges here who were facing a crisis following drop in prices of cash crops.

The easy-to-grow fruit now gets good prices and the hill-produce merchants at Kattappana procure the fruit commercially grown by the farmers.

The price per kilogram of the fruit at the Kattappana market is ₹45 and the companies that make juice, jam and syrup collect the fruits on a daily basis. Farmers grow both the yellow and purple varieties with the latter having an edge in the market.

K.V. Francis, a farmer from Kanchiyar, said that he had been growing passion fruit for the past three years.

Compared to other fruits, passion fruit is easy to grow. He cultivates the fruit organically without pesticide or fertilizers. The only requirement is a pandal for the vines to spread.

He said that the soil and climatic conditions of high ranges were most suitable for passion fruit, though its commercial cultivation began in the area only recently. Those with limited land area grew the fruit on the terrace. It not only provided green cover on the terrace, but gave additional income to the family, he said.

Last year, price of passion fruit ranged from ₹20 to ₹25. The high demand this season is said to be due to the increase in the number of firms engaged in manufacturing value-added products.

The fruit can be harvested eight to nine months from sowing the seeds. The harvesting season is from June to August. Unlike other crops, the crop grows in natural conditions and a single vine can produce hundreds of fruits. The hard outer cover protects the fruits from pest attacks.

Krishnakumar, a small-scale farmer, said fruits in his farm were ready for harvest. The fruits that grew in shady areas could be harvested by next week.

Nutritious

Since the fruit was rich in minerals and vitamins and could be grown without pesticides, it had become a favourite of juice manufacturers.

“It can also be used for making wine and its outer cover has demand in pickle units,” said a trader at Kattappana. He said the fruit had good prospects for exports. As per the estimate of traders, more than 10 tonnes of passion fruit is sent from Kattappana to other districts and States. Besides, a Kothamangalam-based company directly procures the fruit from high ranges.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Giji R Raman / Idukki – July 08th, 2018