Vazhakkulam joins World Pineapple Day celebrations
More than 5,000 pineapple farmers appear to have put behind them a relatively bad season to take advantage of an ample monsoon to make up for the lost time and to increase production during the new season. Their positivity has gained from World Pineapple Day celebrations, which found their echo in Vazhakulam, considered as one of the largest pineapple markets in the country.
Jose Perumpallykunnel, veteran farmer and trader, said the celebrations were not subdued as farmers and other stakeholders came together to cut a cake in the form of a pineapple to mark the opening of the celebrations at the Vazhakulam market.
Delivering the keynote address at the gathering, he spoke of the opportunities being thrown open by the rising demand for the fruit. Processed and fresh, pineapple from Vazhakulam has stood the test of time for its texture and taste, and its prime place on the dining table has been proved without a doubt.
The farmers feel that they should be able to leverage the opportunity being offered by the export market even as the rising cost of transport is a big drag on their fortunes.
Pineapple from Kerala has great demand in cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Delhi, Nagpur, and Indore. The farmers feel that uninterrupted supply of quality fruit holds the key to the market.
By a rough estimate, there are around 20,000 hectares under pineapple cultivation in the State, and more than 5,000 farmers depend on the plantations for livelihood.
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