KOTTAYAM: "Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish... there will I give thee my love.” - Song of Songs 7:12
The evocative verse from the book of the Bible also known as Song of Solomon, featured by acclaimed filmmaker P Padmarajan in his 1986 movie Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal, helped etch a special place in Malayalis’ hearts for vineyards.
This connect can be attributed to them flocking to the expansive vineyards in the rural areas of Cumbum. However, the need to travel to Tamil Nadu or the border regions of Karnataka for the vineyard experience will now be a thing of the past, thanks to an experiment by two brothers in Pallom, Kottayam.
TS Sreekumar, a retired bank official, and his brother Sreeprakash have sparked curiosity by successfully cultivating grape — a fruit typically requiring special climatic conditions — on their residential premises. Their flourishing farm, spread across just seven cents of land, has become a local attraction, drawing visitors from surrounding areas.
The dedicated efforts of the brothers have upended the belief that a tropical climate is unfavourable for grape cultivation. Sreekumar became acquainted with vineyards while working in Tirupur. “As a branch manager, I visited several vineyards as part of the process of approving farm loans. The idea of starting a vineyard at home was planted there,” he said. He said that vines can be grown in Kerala with hard work.
“The blazing sun is the primary requirement for a vineyard. Simultaneously, the roots require a cool and moist environment. We have these two factors in abundance here, which prompted us to begin grapevine farming,” he said.
However, grape cultivation is relatively expensive as Sreekumar has already invested Rs 60,000 on his land. “A grapevine remains productive for nearly 25 years. It demands meticulous care, requiring fertilisation every 10-15 days. A mixture of jaggery, plantain, and sterameal serves as the primary fertiliser to ensure the sweetness of the fruit. The fruit matures in approximately four to five months,” he said.
The brothers are planning to widen cultivation to more areas depending on the success of their first crop. “Since productivity is usually low in the first year, we plan to take it commercial from next year by expanding cultivation,” he said.