It has been five years since Shaju first planted the mango saplings.Kozhikode: Young farmer Konukunnel Thomas Mathew of Chembukadavu, fondly called Shaju by near and dear, decided to jump on the startup bandwagon without sacrificing the family tradition – agriculture.
Shaju’s ‘startup’, turning the five-acre rubber plantation he inherited into a mango farm, has paid him rich dividends. Now there around 500 mango trees of ‘moovandan’ variety on his farm.
Realising that rubber cultivation was no longer profitable, Shaju had been looking for other options when he stumbled upon mango farming. There was a mango tree in his brother’s farm which was leased to another person for harvesting. Shaju noticed this and decided to take a mango tree on lease and conduct a trial. The plan worked as the harvest from this tree earned him a good amount.
Shaju also recognised that mango cultivation was not a part-time enterprise and that it generated decent income.
Now, it has been five years since Shaju first planted the mango saplings. He launched his new venture by collecting the seeds from the tree he had taken on lease. The seeds were picked from the month of January and the lower portion was sliced to expose the pit.
They were then dipped in pesticide to destroy beetles and kept in loose soil to germinate. After around 15 days, there were three or four sprouts, of which the strongest one was allowed to grow.
When the saplings developed three levels of leaves, they were transplanted in polythene covers. During the month of May, it was the time to plant the saplings on the farmland. This was done after making pits around 1.5 feet deep, which were filled with organic fertilisers. The fertiliser, comprising a sack of chicken manure, was applied after the first rain. This was done once every year.
Each mango tree yields over 50 kg of mango during every harvest. Shaju says an advantage of mango cultivation is that it is not labour intensive. The farmer can carry out all activities, including harvesting and marketing, by himself.
Shaju sells his produce at the nearby markets of Kodenchery and and Adivaram. During normal seasons, mango trees produce fruit for six months from January and farmers get continuous income during this period.
Shaju planted banana plants between the mango trees during the first three years as there was no yield during that time. With enough space between mango trees, the plantain grew unhindered. Shaju applied organic fertilizer for both mango and banana, which resulted in quick growth of the mango trees. From the third year of the launch of his venture, mango trees produced fruit.
After tasting success with mango, Shaju has diversified his farming ventures further. He now grows around 2,000 banana plants on land leased at several locations and also engages in vegetable, ginger and turmeric cultivation.
Another sector that Shaju has tried his hands at is beekeeping. He is a member of Kodenchery Krishi Bhavan’s ‘Good Cluster, Gap Cluster.’ The vegetable development programme under the agriculture department and state horticulture mission also support Shaju in his endeavours. Shaju can be contacted over phone at 9645474151.
