Thiruvananthapuram: For the past few months, the students and teachers of Government Model LP School, Thycaud, have promptly watered and grown vegetables in the front yard of the school campus and available space on the premises. They planned a grand harvest next week. On Monday, they were in for a shock: all the cauliflowers, ready for harvest, had disappeared. The teachers use a portion of these vegetables to prepare noon meals for the children, in addition to supplies from vegetable markets.

Cauliflowers were cultivated on an experimental basis in 2023. When it turned out to be a success, the students excitedly planted more seedlings in 2024. Minister for Food and Civil Supplies GR Anil inaugurated the harvest last year.

"We had posted pictures of the vegetables on social media and we were looking forward to the harvest day. Last week five cauliflowers were missing, we thought somebody would have seen pictures and stolen the vegetables, but today all the vegetables have been stolen. Initially, we thought it could be rats, but there was not even a remnant. It appeared plucked from the plant," said Sunitha GS, one of the teachers who co-ordinates vegetable farming in school said.

 The office bearers of the parents teachers association have been informed. "Our children take care of vegetable farming. We began the initiative after Covid to ensure pesticide-free vegetables for students. We also wanted to introduce them to the importance of farming. Harvest days are very special for our children, they get so excited. They actively take part in farming. This year, cauliflowers really grew to a good size, and children were happy," said Sunitha.