“The older generation of farmers was often hesitant to experiment with intercropping, fearing it would dent their coconut yields. But that mindset shifted dramatically once younger farmers stepped into the picture. They began tapping into every possible resource, especially social media, to learn and try innovative farming techniques. The transformation they’ve brought to the Chittur-Pollachi coconut belt over the last decade is remarkable,” says Mahendran Ravishankar, a young farmer from Meenakshipuram Kaikatti in Perumatty, Palakkad, along the Tamil Nadu border.

A mechanical engineer who previously worked in Pollachi, Mahendran belongs to this new breed of agriculturists. When he quit his corporate job a decade ago to take charge of his family’s 10-acre coconut plantation, intercropping was at the very top of his agenda.

His 10-acre estate hosts around 600 mature palms, all over 25 years old. Because these tall palms have formed a high canopy, ample sunlight reaches the ground, creating ideal conditions for intercrops like avocado, black pepper, and nutmeg.

According to Mahendran, nutmeg has emerged as the most popular intercrop across the Chittur-Pollachi region. Given the area's relatively low rainfall, coconut palms require year-round irrigation, a setup that naturally suits nutmeg. He plants one nutmeg tree for every four coconut palms, opting for the heat-resilient 'Round Leaf' variety, which thrives even in hot weather.

Avocados have been planted along sun-drenched boundaries and in clearings where diseased palms were felled. For this, Mahendran selected 'Arka Supreme' and 'Arka Ravi', two tropical varieties developed by ICAR-IIHR’s Central Horticultural Experiment Station in Chettalli, Coorg.

“Their biggest advantage is that they thrive and yield consistently even at temperatures up to 38°C,” Mahendran explains. He started with a trial batch of 100 saplings alongside indigenous varieties. Arka Supreme produces fruits averaging 450 grams; IIHR data indicates that a 12-year-old tree can yield around 290 kg annually, with outstanding flavour. Arka Ravi produces slightly heavier fruits (450–600 grams) with a higher pulp content, though its overall yield is marginally lower. Pairing Arka Supreme (a Type-A avocado) with Arka Ravi (Type-B) ensures effective cross-pollination. The trees flowered in their fourth year, and commercial harvesting began last season, fetching ₹80 per kilogram this year.

"At an average yield of 30 kilograms per tree annually, that translates to an effortless ₹2,400 per avocado tree," Mahendran calculates. The economics of nutmeg are just as compelling. A five-year-old nutmeg tree typically yields around 3 kg of nuts and 500 grams of mace annually. With current market rates hovering at ₹440 per kg for the nut and ₹3,000 per kg for mace, each tree generates an average income of ₹2,800, with production increasing by about 10% every year. While coconut farming remains lucrative at current prices, market volatility makes stable, high-value intercrops like nutmeg and avocado an absolute necessity.

Both crops also require significantly lower maintenance compared to coconut palms. Encouraged by these results, Mahendran has also introduced black pepper into the grove, cultivating 200 vines across resilient varieties like Karimunda, Kuthiravally, Neelamundi, and Panniyur-1.

“Due to the intense heat, farmers in the Chittur region traditionally steered clear of these crops. But the younger generation actively sought out climate-resilient varieties suited to our terrain, completely turning the tide,” he says.

In another cleared patch of the plantation, he is experimenting with tissue-culture teak, planting 250 saplings across half an acre; within just three years, the trunks have attained a girth of 12 to 15 inches. Blending traditional crops like areca nut and turmeric into his diversified ecosystem, Mahendran has also set up a state-of-the-art on-farm unit to produce next-generation organic bio-fertilisers.