Three years ago, Sakeen and four others decided take up cultivation of paddy and vegetables in fallow land in Muliyar panchayat in Kasaragod under a project of the Kudumbashree mission.
Following their success in the cultivation of various paddy varieties, they decided to diversify and try something new this year. Thus for the first time in the district, they took up the cultivation of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, also called sweet tulsi, with the help of the Kudumbashree district mission.
In just two months, their efforts yielded good results. The plant is used as an alternative to sugar and has high medicinal value.
Now they have decided to expand cultivation of stevia, given the huge demand for the product in the market.
On 10 cents
Ms. Sakeen said that they bought 500 roots of the plant from Madhya Pradesh and cultivated on 10 cents on an experimental basis. “We planted the roots on June 25 to understand if the plant suits the climatic condition. The plants were ready for harvest in two months. We collected the leaves and stems, dried them, and powdered them,” she said.
With their endeavour becoming a success, Ms. Sakeen along with Rasiya, Kairuneesa, Naseesa and Saudha have now decided to expand the cultivation to one acre. They will also cultivate two types of basmati, Jeerakasala, Gandhakasala, Navara, Uma and Adhira paddy varieties on five acres of leased land.
Area District Mission Coordinator C.H. Iqbal said that sweet tulsi could be used as a substitute for sugar by diabetics.
It contains a compound called steviol glycoside which lowers blood sugar levels. While the cultivation is widespread in Karnataka, it is relatively low in the State. The plant is 30 times sweeter than sugar and the benefits are well documented in medical journals. It reportedly helps in controlling lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure as well as dandruff. It can be used medicinally to cure wounds, ache, eliminate hair loss and can help fight bacteria and fungus.
Suitable soil
He said that the soil in the State was suited for sweet tulsi cultivation and they would encourage other units in the district to utilise more land for its production. In States like Karnataka, they were making refined sugar with sweet tulsi using machinery, but this would be possible in the State only if production was increased, he added.
