The price of Kanthalloor garlic, a traditional product from Anchunad village in Idukki, has touched a new high this season with a kg fetching ₹320 last week.
Bose N.M., a garlic farmer and small-scale vendor at Puthoor, near Kanthalloor, says this year garlic farmers are getting between ₹250 and ₹300 a kg.
“Compared to other regions, the size of garlic grown at Vattavada and Kanthalloor is much smaller. However, Kanthalloor garlic has a proper market due to its oil content and quality. Companies purchase Kanthalloor garlic primarily for collecting essence,“ says Mr. Bose.
President of the Vegetable Farmers Society at Vattavada K. Jayaprakash says, with the commodity fetching good price, many farmers at Vattavada has started preparations for garlic farming next season. “The main garlic markets are Vadukappetty and Mettuppalayam in Tamil Nadu,” he says.
“Without a proper market and price for cool season vegetables, farmers have switched over to garlic farming. Now garlic is cultivated on 700 hectares at Kanthalloor,” says Kanthalloor Winter Vegetable Farmers Society secretary Sojan P.G.
“A proper market and price are the main attractions for garlic farmers. Farmers mainly sell the commodity in Tamil Nadu. They will get money on time after vendor commission. There is no proper market for green garlic in Kerala,” he says.
‘Mala poondu’ (hill garlic) and ‘sigapu poondu’ are the two traditional garlic varieties cultivated at Vattavada and Kanthalloor. Last December, Kanthalloor-Vattavada garlic was granted Geographical Indication (GI) status.
Horticorp Idukki district manager Pamela Vimalraj says farmers at Kanathallor and Vattavada sell garlic without drying. “Without proper drying, garlic will not get shelf life, which is the reason why it does not have a market in Kerala. Two years ago Horticorp purchased nearly two tonnes of garlic from Kanthalloor and Vattavada and it was totally damaged in the absence of a proper market. Then on, Horticorp stopped procuring garlic,” says Ms. Vimalraj.
“Considering the price, only premium customers are now purchasing Kanthalloor garlic. Farmers are getting a proper market for their produce in Tamil Nadu,” she says.
