Timely assistance from the Horticulture department has reportedly helped drumstick cultivators in Thiruvonam block to market their produce.
A sizeable number of farmers in Thiruvonam block had started cultivating drumstick as an intercrop in groundnut fields two to three years ago. The variety suggested by the Horticulture department has a life of around nine months and the cultivator could start harvesting drumsticks from the sixth month onwards.
Claiming that the drumsticks produced in about 300 acres in Sivaviduthi and Kaduvettividuthi areas in the block were received well by consumers in Tiruchi, Peravurani, Mannargudi and Pattukottai areas, K. R. Ramasamy of Sivaviduthi, who is also the deputy president, Thiruvonam Block, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam (TNVS), said that suddenly the traders stopped purchasing the drumsticks.
As the trees were unable to bear the weight of drumstick pods, the TNVS brought the plight of the cultivators to the notice of the District Horticulture Department, said N.V. Kannan, District Secretary, TNVS.
Subsequently, the department officials passed on the information to traders in the area and it resulted in a positive response from a Madurai-based Moringa trader who arrived at Sivaviduthi two days ago and made a purchase of around 100 kilograms of drumsticks at a price of ₹5 to ₹6 depending on the quality, said Mr. Ramasamy.
“Due to the timely intervention of the department we expect more traders from other districts to arrive and procure our produce”, he added.
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