Idikki's Vattavada gets ready to grow its iconic garlic as summer rains arrive
Most farmers have given up vegetable farming and turned to garlic farming, as fresh garlic grown in Vattavada and Kanthalloor has enjoyed strong demand in the market for the last four years.
Most farmers have given up vegetable farming and turned to garlic farming, as fresh garlic grown in Vattavada and Kanthalloor has enjoyed strong demand in the market for the last four years.
Most farmers have given up vegetable farming and turned to garlic farming, as fresh garlic grown in Vattavada and Kanthalloor has enjoyed strong demand in the market for the last four years.
Munnar: Garlic farming has begun in the fields of Vattavada as the state has been receiving fairly good summer showers. Farmers in Vattavada, Koviloor, Chilanthiyar, as well as in tribal areas like Swamiyar Ala, Kudallar, Mulavallam, Vayalthara and Vatsapetti started sowing bulbs widely in the area. The fields were levelled into steps before the cloves were sown in the mud.
Usually, garlic cultivation begins in Vattavada in April. However, the farmers were reluctant, as there were no signs of summer rains at the time. Now, around one and a half months after the usual sowing season, farmers have begun sowing garlic.
Most farmers have given up vegetable farming and turned to garlic farming, as fresh garlic grown in Vattavada and Kanthalloor has enjoyed strong demand in the market for the last four years.
Dry garlic fetched up to ₹400 – 500 per kilo until two years ago. Although prices had fallen over the last two seasons, dry garlic still fetched ₹250–350 per kilo. Vattavada garlic, known as Mulambundu in local parlance, has earned a geographical indication tag under the central government's Intellectual Property laws.