KOZHIKODE: Panniyur 1 is the first hybrid pepper variety in the world developed in 1967 by Panniyur Pepper Research Centre. In Kerala, it is the most cultivated variety and around 80 per cent of the total pepper cultivation is Panniyur 1.
After 1967, eight more high-yielding varieties were released by the centre. But the successor varieties of Panniyur 1 failed to win the hearts of farmers due to various reasons. According to agriculture experts, the same situation is existing in other spice crops too. Like pepper, various research institutes across the state have developed spice varieties suitable for the climate and geography of the state.
However, they are thinking the mid-August deluge had created a situation to encourage farmers to shift to new high-yielding, less input consuming and pest and disease resistant varieties. According to the post-flood study report of the Indian Institute of Spices Research, 30 per cent of the total cultivated spices was destroyed in the rain fury.
While cultivating rice and wheat, the farmers can cultivate new varieties developed by the research centres. In the case of spices like cardamom, pepper, nutmeg and cloves and in the case of ginger and turmeric, the farmers convert a part of the harvest to seed.
More advantages
Lijo Thomas, scientist (Agricultural Economics), Indian Institute of Spices Research (ICAR), said if the farmers shift to new varieties it will change the economics of farming and farmers will get more advantages.
“The new varieties have high yield potential and diverse variety of spices can be cultivated and the planting to harvesting period is less compared to traditional varieties. Due to high yield potential, farmers will get more produce from very less land. When the period between planting and harvesting decreases, the farmer can try another crop for the remaining months of the year,” he said.
As of now, the quality of produce coming to the market is varied. At the same time, the international market needs the same quality product.
If the farmers try new varieties, they can produce spices with uniform quality. Moreover, the new varieties need less input such as manure to produce more. These will give them monetary benefits.
The road ahead
For replanting traditional varieties with high-yielding ones, a lot planting materials is required. It would come to about 58.5 million rooted cuttings of black pepper, 17.2 million planting units in cardamom, 1,545 tonnes of seed rhizomes of ginger, 594 tonnes of turmeric seed rhizomes, 0.35 million nutmeg planting material and about 25,000 plants of cloves.
The estimated cost of making these planting materials is estimated to be Rs 1,94 crore. The cost of other key inputs like farmyard manure, organic cakes, fertilisers, micronutrients, pesticides, bio-agents, etc. will cost another Rs 182.5 crore.
However, Thomas P M, a cardamom and pepper farmer in Kumily, Idukki, said the cost to shift from one variety to another is preventing farmers from trying new varieties. “Also, the farmers use planting materials produced from old plants. Removing one variety and planting another needs more manpower and money. It is not easy to bear these costs,” he added.