Kozhikode native P J Manuel knows unique methods to grow any nutmeg tree bear fruit
Farmer P.J. Manuel revitalises unproductive nutmeg trees through budding. He advises wider spacing and pruning for increased, year-round yields, deviating from traditional methods, confident in successful, meticulous farming.
Farmer P.J. Manuel revitalises unproductive nutmeg trees through budding. He advises wider spacing and pruning for increased, year-round yields, deviating from traditional methods, confident in successful, meticulous farming.
Farmer P.J. Manuel revitalises unproductive nutmeg trees through budding. He advises wider spacing and pruning for increased, year-round yields, deviating from traditional methods, confident in successful, meticulous farming.
Kozhikode: P J Manuel, known as Joy, a farmer from Chaliyadath, Koorachundu, possesses the unwavering confidence that he can transform any unproductive nutmeg tree, regardless of its age, into a fruit-bearing plant through careful budding. Manuel's exceptional ability, coupled with the trust other farmers place in it, has ignited new hope. Indeed, his interventions have proven beneficial for numerous cultivators.
For both nutmeg and cocoa, he has developed his own distinct cultivation and care methods. To farmers who crowd as many nutmeg trees as possible into their plots, anxiously waiting for a harvest, Manuel proposes a different strategy. He advises: "Allow maximum space, prune the branches, and ensure light permeates through the trees – this will significantly increase your yield." It is likely this very principle that explains the exceptional brightness permeating his nutmeg grove, a sight rarely seen in other plantations.
In addition to wide spacing, he meticulously prunes and cleans his trees, ensuring their optimal condition. Manuel affirms that trees receiving abundant sunlight yield a double harvest, a testament evident in the luminous environment of his own farm. Furthermore, he points out another key benefit of his method: while other farmers achieve only seasonal yields, his trees produce fruit throughout the entire year.
Manuel refrains from using Bordeaux mixture for disease control, a decision influenced by his beekeeping activities. He also holds no particular preference for hybrid varieties. For fertilisation too, Manuel employs his own distinct methods. These unique approaches have been pivotal in his success, allowing him to continue farming productively from the age of fifteen right up to his current sixty-fifth year.
On his 1.30-acre plot, he engages in a diverse range of cultivation. Yet, in many of these ventures, he decidedly deviates from traditional methods. This innovative spirit is perhaps why he stands steadfast and prospers today on land that others might have long given up on as unproductive. Manuel firmly asserts, "Based on my experience, if farming is managed with meticulous care, losses are simply not an option." He clarified his overarching philosophy: "One must reinvest a portion of the returns back into the land and ensure it is always well-fertilised."