Tribal Farmers of ASR District Exploring Cultivation Of Cardamom
Cardamom requires shade and regular watering, especially during hot weather. It thrives under conditions similar to those of pepper. Venugopal believes that the shoots from cardamom plants can be used to propagate more plants, gradually expanding the area under cultivation
Visakhapatnam: Farmers belonging to tribal communities, particularly those living in cooler and wetter regions like Kondavanchula and Gondipakalu villages in Chintapalli mandal of Alluri Sitharama Raju district, are experimenting with cultivation of cardamom.
This spice typically grows in wetter and cooler regions. Knowing this, a notable farmer of the region, Gudepu Venugopal Raju of Yerravaram village in Gondipakalu panchayat told Deccan Chronicle, “Two years ago, I took three cardamom plants from a friend in Kondavanchula who had successfully planted the spice over half an acre. The plants, which resemble turmeric, thrived well. This year, they have yielded 850 grams of cardamom,” Venugopal Raju stated.
Cardamom requires shade and regular watering, especially during hot weather. It thrives under conditions similar to those of pepper. Venugopal believes that the shoots from cardamom plants can be used to propagate more plants, gradually expanding the area under cultivation.
Interestingly, this is not the first time planting of cardamom is being tried in the region. About 20 years ago, scientists at the Horticultural Research Station in Chintapalli studied its potential in tribal areas. They grew cardamom for several years to assess its viability.
Chetti Bindu, head of the research station, explained, “Cardamom needs heavy shade and high rainfall, above 2,000 to 2,200 mm. It can grow in small backyard setups. But climate being unpredictable nowadays, large-scale farming may not be successful,” the research station head observed.
In fact, Venugopal had attended a training programme at the research station years ago. Despite the research station head’s observation, he is eager to explore the future of cardamom in tribal areas.
“Last year, my plants started bearing fruit. This season, beyond my expectations, the yield is close to one kilogram. I am encouraging more farmers to get involved, so that the produce increases and marketing becomes easier. For now, we are just experimenting,” Venugopal stated.
