As another apple season arrives in Kanthallur and nearby Marayur, fruit farmers are a worried lot with the pandemic yet to be contained.
They have gained additional income over the years with farm visits on the itinerary of most tourists. The pandemic had hit their hopes last year as tourists did not turn up following the lockdown.
Among the beneficiaries of farm tourism are those who grow a few apple trees to those with orchards. The apple flowering season is from January to February with harvesting from mid-July to August end.
Usually, farmers retain fruits on trees till the end of Onam season to draw in visitors to the farms. They get better income as tourists are allowed to pluck apples from the tree.
As the apple saplings experimentally cultivated by a few farmers were found to be a success, other farmers also followed suit converting sabarjilli farms into apple farms.
Apple cultivation gained strength after the State government in association with the Kanthallur grama panchayat promoted ‘every home with a fruit tree’ scheme. Slowly Kanthallur became a favourite destination for farm tourism.
Though other fruits are also grown in Kanthallur, it was apple cultivation that gave the grama panchayat a firm footing in farm tourism. The proximity to Munnar also worked in its favour.
Apple varieties such as Royal Delicious, Gyanismith and Gyaniland brought from Kodaikanal and Himachal Pradesh are mainly cultivated, though Kashmiri varieties are also cultivated. Farmers say they get an annual yield of over 40 kg from a tree.
Tourists reach the farms throughout the year as one or the other fruit, including orange, sweet lemon, strawberry, tree tomato and blue passion fruit are there for the taking.
Chandran Valiyaveettil, a fruit farmer, says no tourists have turned up so far. He says apple is ripe and selling it to local vendors will not provide a remunerative income. “Those arriving with family pay us a far better price if it is apple, orange or any other fruit,” he says.
As commercial sale of apple is not done, fruit farmers like him are worried they will lose this season also.
