Three acres of land with more than 400 varieties of fruits, both indigenous and exotic.... At the Evalin Exotic Fruit Farm in Nadathara, Thrissur, fruits from across the world that flourish in tropical climates are cultivated. The venture goes beyond farming, producing, and marketing value-added products from many of these fruits as well.

It has been eight years since Dipin of Thekkethala House, Nadathara, began cultivating fruit crops on his own land. Having started with nutmeg, rubber, coconut and banana, he gradually switched to fruit farming, and this journey culminated in the establishment of the Evalin Exotic Fruit Farm. Visitors to the farm are warmly received by Dipin, who introduces them to each fruit variety and shares its distinctive qualities before seeing them off.

A fruit list that sparks curiosity
The Evalin Farm boasts one of the largest collections of exotic fruits that have been steadily gaining popularity in recent years. Rambutan, longan, abiu, jaboticaba, mamey sapote, milk fruit, matoa, custard apple, avocado, dragon fruit, guava, rose apple, papaya, jackfruit, mango, pineapple, sweet lime, and orange are all grown here in multiple varieties.

Visitors can also discover an extraordinary array of fruits, including mullatha (soursop), green sapote, black sapote, white sapote, rose sapote, Thai jumbo sapote, white jamun, black jamun, seedless jamun, cocoa plum, terengannu cherry, araza boi, sundrop, arasavulla, black and red Surinam cherry, zil dark cherry, salak, Rio Grande cherry, sweet kokum, mangosteen, achachairu, baraba, baikkupari, baikkuri, miracle fruit, lilly pilly, lipote, rainforest plum, tucu, pulasan (red and yellow), sweet amrutham (mango), sweet looby, pomegranate, bush orange, star fruit, passion fruit, egg fruit, durian, peanut butter fruit, san sapote, round sapote, rollinia, and custard apple, among many others.

Over 100 varieties and counting
The Evalin Fruit Farm is rich in varietal diversity as well, boasting 20 types of pineapple, four varieties of sweet lime, six varieties of orange, 60 varieties of mango, 15 varieties of jackfruit and 12 varieties of rambutan. Several varieties of longan and abiu are also cultivated. Dipin is now preparing to clear rubber trees on an additional four acres of land to make room for more fruit trees.

All saplings are grown on the farm itself and are also available for sale. Before planting, deep pits are dug and treated with lime. After ten days, a mixture of powdered cow dung and goat manure is added, and the saplings are then planted. Each sapling is watered once a day. During the initial stages, they require shade, as direct exposure to strong sunlight can cause them to wither.

Marketing
Most of the fruits harvested at the farm here are sold either dried or as value-added products. The Evalin Farm also markets its produce through the Kerala Agricultural University. Research students from the university often visit the farm for study and observation.

Dipin, an avid reader of Malayala Manorama’s Karshakasree magazine, credits articles on fruit cultivation published there for inspiring his journey into this unique venture. His wife, Stephy, is a constant presence at the farm. For inquiries: 9446722609