Soon to hit the market are products of Athirappilly Tribal Valley Project, an Agriculture Department initiate aimed at the development of Scheduled Tribes in Athirappilly.
Speaking after inaugurating the Athirappilly Tribal Valley Project at a function held at Malakkappara on Sunday, Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar said the products would go global in three years.
“The main attraction of farm products from tribal felt is the use of traditional seeds. The government, which rejuvenated the millet farming in Attappady, has introduced six millet-based products in the market. Athirappilly has better prospects in this area, as it is a virgin land and no chemical pesticides are used here. Also, there have been use of hybrid seeds. The products, which uses traditional farming methods and seeds, can fetch high price in the market. If we can secure Rainforest Alliance Certification, we can sell it at a high price anywhere in the world,” the Minister said.
Products like pepper, cocoa, coffee , honey and Ayurvedic medicinal plants are being grown here by protecting biodiversity. The Farmers Producers Company will take the products to the market.
The Minister said Kerala Agriculture University had been asked to start a Tribal Agriculture Wing, which would not have any middlemen. The tribal people would directly get its benefit.
Araku Valley coffee, which is considered as one of the best coffees in the world, was produced by tribal people in Andhra, he said. This was the motivation in developing the project.
Of the fund allotted for agriculture under Rebuild Kerala, ₹7.5 crore has been earmarked for the Athirappilly Tribal Valley Project. The Minister inaugurated the project by receiving products from Perumal, the tribal chief of Adichilthotti tribal hamlet. Tribal people welcomed the Minister with their traditional music and dance.
